October, 2003

A stream of children and teenagers, like marching ants, throng outside to fulfill one basic human need: hunger. Each little roadside stand offers multiple snack choices. We scramble to buy a soft drink for a mere 5 baht, maybe even some sticky rice or a roti. The aroma of fried chicken seduces me to stand in front of a vendor and wave money like a flag. The income of each vendor depends on how fast they can pour, shake and grab items to give to customers. Although each vendor is hawking his wares religiously and claiming that their beverages are superior, they all have one thing in common - each uses plastic bags.

Plastic bags and trash piles in Thailand have become almost more abundant than the lush beauty of its plant life. Why are plastic bags so popular? They are convenient, durable and economical. In this modern age, life seems to be all about convenience and catering to the needs of the consumer.

However, though plastic may seem like a wonderful solution to most of your shopping problems, the other side of the coin is frequently overlooked. Your plastic drink bag can last for an extremely long amount of time - some say 400 years! Burning plastic can also release toxic fumes into the air and make huge amounts of chemical pollutants. I can’t even describe how often I see piles of trash and plastic on the side of the road. About a block from my school there is a heap of wilting drink bottles, jellyfish-like bags and unidentifiable reeking objects. Amazing Thailand has a darker side to its beauty: the human consumption that has caused such eyesores.

In other countries, measures have been made to increase awareness of such a global issue. The Bangkok Post in February reported that last year the Taiwanese government took action and began to ban plastic bags in supermarkets and plastic tableware in government buildings. Places that go against these measures can pay a fine of up to US$9,000. The government of Taiwan was desperately trying to reduce the 16 million bags a day that were used by its 23 million people.

So how much of a problem are plastic bags in Thailand? The Thailand Environment Institute detailed to the Bangkok Post that we consumed 643,000 tonnes of plastic in 2000. In other words, 643,000,000 kilograms of plastic and Styrofoam were used in one year, and this figure has been drastically on the rise from 1998!
Possible solutions to the approaching crises of plastic bags are debated around the world. In Thailand, ‘illegalizing’ plastic bags would probably result in angry protests from poor vendors who have no other cheap alternative. But other options are available.

Making the option of plastic more expensive to the consumer would considerably lessen the use of plastic bags. In the long run, companies pay for plastic, then the consumer pays for the plastic, and in turn, the environment pays for plastic. In some European countries, a tax has been placed on the use of plastic bags, significantly reducing consumption. People that are going to the supermarket will then start arriving with their own canvas sacks or reusable plastic bags.

Another option is developing a better all-around recycling system. Although plastic is difficult to recycle, at least disposal and recycling
systems would be a step in the right direction for the litter problem. Thermoplastics (substances that become soft and pliable when heated) such as plastic bags, can be re-melted and reused and other plastics can be ground up to be used as filler. A system for recycling and reusing could be established in Thailand.

Awareness is probably one of the most overlooked and important steps in protecting our environment. The government is supported by the people and is for the people. There is very little it can accomplish on its own without the support of a knowledgeable public. If education in schools was set up so that children would learn about the effect they have on the environment then the next generation can be included in the process of saving our environment. Be aware that you individually can make a difference! Choose goods that don’t have too much packaging, give away things you don’t want so they can be reused, and take your own bags with you when you go shopping.

My generation is now entering adulthood confronted with unsolved environmental problems and a changed world. Landfills and garbage dumps abound as well as trash that still litters roads and cities. Now we must resolve the issue by working together and ensuring that future generations will achieve a balance of respect and admiration for our world. They are the future, so let’s give them a future!

Briana Bryant (aged 15)
Chiang Mai International School