Srinagar, June 5: World Environment Day is a global event observed annually on June 5. It serves as an important occasion to raise awareness about environmental crises and promote action for sustainability. It is organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP),
This year the main focus is on the theme “Beat Plastic Pollution”
“What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another” – Mahatma Gandhi
This year’s theme is to highlight negative impacts of plastic pollution’s effects. As per records, each year, more than 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally. Shockingly, half of that is single-use plastic, destined to pollute the planet—often without ever reaching a landfill. Most of what ends up on our streets, beaches, and green spaces is single-use plastics that never stood a chance of getting recycled.
The theme for this year’s World Environment Day was set by the UNEP back in 2023, with the expectation that the Global Plastics Treaty would be finalized and signed by now. According to reports, the final negotiations were meant to happen in Busan, South Korea, but after negotiators failed to reach a consensus on key issues, a sixth negotiation.
As per data Jammu and Kashmir generates an estimated 51,000 tonnes of plastic waste every year—a figure driven by rapid urbanization, rising consumer habits, and weak waste management systems. The challenge isn’t just the amount of waste, but how it’s handled. Without proper segregation at the source and scientific collection mechanisms, much of the plastic waste finds its way into landfills, water bodies, and even forested areas, posing serious environmental threats
Plastic pollution permeates every corner of the planet. World Environment Day 2025 calls for collective action to tackle plastic pollution. Here are few simple everyday things that can be incorporated in daily lives to reduce plastic consumption:
Invest in high-quality reusable shopping bags, produce bags, water bottles, and food containers.
Choose products without excessive packaging when shopping.
Support local farmers, local products where produce is often sold without packaging.
Look for products made from recycled materials or designed for long-term use.
Keep reusable items in convenient locations: bags in your car, cutlery at picnics etc.
