Celebrated on 22 April each year since its inception in 1970 to raise awareness about environmental issues, Earth Day has become a massive movement that unites people from over 193 countries. In the Philippines, it’s actually Earth Days — yep plural — as the whole month of April is considered Earth Month, with a host of activities like tree-planting and clean-up drives.

This year’s theme, “Planet versus Plastics,” strikes a particularly urgent chord. Plastic pollution has become a global crisis, threatening the very health of our planet and its inhabitants.

According to a 2023 report by the World Wildlife Fund, an estimated 11 million metric tons of plastic enter our oceans each year. This plastic breaks down into microplastics, tiny fragments less than 5 millimeters in size, which are now being found everywhere — from the deepest trenches in the ocean to the peak of Mount Everest.

These microplastics are ingested by marine life, causing harm and even death. A 2020 study published in Science Advances found that over 800 marine species are known to have interacted with plastic debris, with potentially lethal consequences.

The effects aren’t limited to just marine life. Microplastics are now found in our food chain, raising concerns about potential human health impacts.

The Philippines, an archipelagic nation with a rich marine environment, is particularly vulnerable to plastic pollution. A 2018 study by Jambeck et al. identified the Philippines as the third-worst plastic polluter in the world, and this can be seen in clogged esteros or creeks that flood each time it rains.

This urgency is echoed by the UN itself. Just this 11 April, it called for increased investments in scientific research to protect our oceans, which are under growing threat from pollution and global warming. This research is crucial to understanding our oceans’ complex challenges and developing effective solutions.

The UN emphasizes that healthy oceans are vital to our planet’s well-being. They absorb significant excess heat caused by human activity, regulate our climate, and provide us with countless resources.

This Earth Month, Filipinos are called upon not just to celebrate our planet, but to actively work to protect it. We can all play a part in reducing plastic pollution by making conscious choices: carrying reusable bags, refusing single-use plastics, and properly disposing of plastic waste.

It’s only by working together that we can turn the tide on plastic pollution, thereby ensuring a healthier planet for ourselves and future generations. 

But what if we fail to heed this call to action? Imagine a future — not too distant — where the plastic tide has overwhelmed our planet. The once vibrant ecosystems we cherish would become battlegrounds against a seemingly unending influx of plastic waste.

A country already grappling with plastic pollution, the Philippines faces an even bleaker reality. If efforts to rehabilitate the Pasig River are set aside, the once vital waterway can become a stagnant statement — no, make that a cesspool — of our neglect. Currently nurturing life after one cleanup drive after another, the river can once become choked with plastic debris.

The rebounding fish populations, heretofore a source of food and livelihood, would take a beating anew, killed by microplastics. Beyond the river, on famed coastlines like Boracay, pristine beaches could end up marred by pollutants, resulting in lost paradise and tourism, a vital driver of the Philippine economy, suffering.

Microplastics, now ubiquitous in the environment, have already contaminated our food and water sources, posing unknown health risks not only to Filipinos, but to the peoples of the world. Economic opportunities would dwindle as fertile lands become saturated with plastic, hindering agricultural production.

This scenario, though nightmarish, is not inevitable. By taking action now, we can prevent this Armageddonish future. By embracing innovation in waste management and materials science, supporting scientific research on ocean health, and holding corporations accountable, we can forge a sustainable path forward. 

Let Earth Day be a turning point, not a somber reminder of what we stand to lose.