1. “Beat Plastic Pollution”, the theme for World Environment Day 2018, is a call for
action for all of us to come together to combat one of the greatest environmental challenges
of our time. Chosen by this year’s host, India, the theme of World Environment Day
2018 invites us all to consider how we can make changes in our everyday lives to
reduce the heavy burden of plastic pollution on our natural places, our wildlife and our
own health.
2. While plastic has many valuable uses, we have become over-reliant on single-use or
disposable plastic with severe environmental consequences. Around the world, 1 million
plastic drinking bottles are purchased every minute. Every year we use up to 5 trillion
disposable plastic bags. In total, 50 per cent of the plastic we use is single-use.
3. Nearly one-third of the plastic packaging we use escapes collection systems, which
means that it ends up clogging our city streets and polluting our natural environment.
Every year, up to 13 million tons of plastic leak into our oceans, where it smothers
coral reefs and threatens vulnerable marine wildlife. The plastic that ends up in the
oceans can circle the Earth four times in a single year, and it can persist for up to
1,000 years before it fully disintegrates.
4. Plastic also makes its way into our water supply and thus into our bodies. What harm
does that cause? Scientists still aren’t sure, but plastics contain a number of chemicals,
many of which are toxic or disrupt hormones. Plastics can also act as a magnet for
other pollutants, including dioxins, metals and pesticides.
5. This year’s World Environment Day provides an opportunity for each of us to embrace
the many ways that we can help to combat plastic pollution around the world. And you
don't have to wait until 5 June to act.
6. There are so many things that we can do from asking the restaurants you frequently
visit to stop using plastic straws, to bringing your own coffee mug to work, to pressuring
your local authorities to improve how they manage your dry waste. Here are some
other specific ideas. Take your own shopping bags to the supermarket. Pressure food
suppliers to use non-plastic packaging. Refuse plastic cutlery. Pick up any plastic you
see the next time you go for a walk on the beach.
1. On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions
by choosing the most appropriate option: (6 × 1 = 6 mks )
1.1 The theme of the World Environment Day is
a. Beat Air Pollution
b. Beat Noise Pollution
c. Beat Plastic Pollution
d. Beat Water Pollution
1.2 Host country for World Environment Day 2018 celebrations is:
a. China
b. India
c. Japan
d. Korea
1.3 Plastic with severe environmental consequences is:
a. Single-use or disposable plastic
b. Recycle plastic
c. Thermoplastic
d. Thermocol
1.4 Plastic packaging we use escapes collection systems and ends up:
a. Clogging our city streets
b. Harmless
c. Recycled
d. With no effect
1.5 Plastic that leaks into our oceans can persist upto:
a. 1 years before it fully disintegrates.
b. 10 years before it fully disintegrates.
c. 100 years before it fully disintegrates.
d. 1,000 years before it fully disintegrates.
1.6 To combat plastic pollution we should:
a. Wait until 5 June
b. Act now and save ourselves
c. Wait and watch
d. Not worry
Answers
The correct answer to the given questions are:-
1.1 The theme of the World Environment Day is
c. Beat Plastic Pollution
(It is one of the greatest challenges in the current times. This campaign is a call for people to take steps against this)
1.2 Host country for World Environment Day 2018 celebrations is:
b. India
(The topic or theme for every year's WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY is chosen by the host country)
1.3 Plastic with severe environmental consequences is:
a. Single-use or disposable plastic
(Approximately 50 per-cent of the total plastic we use is single-use plastic, which threatens our environment)
1.4 Plastic packaging we use escapes collection systems and ends up:
a. Clogging our city streets
(one third of the total plastic packaging is found to clog the city streets and pollute the natural environment)
1.5 Plastic that leaks into our oceans can persist upto:
d. 1,000 years before it fully disintegrates.
(The plastic that finds its way into the oceans can circle the earth upto four times per year, and continues to persist since its rate of degradation is extremely slow)
1.6 To combat plastic pollution we should:
b. Act now and save ourselves
(plastics can be harmful to both humans and animals, especially the vulnerable marine population. There are many ways to combat this foe of nature only if we are willing to put efforts towards it)