Reality, Check! #PLANETORPLASTIC

Planet, or plastic?

Fishermen shouted at the tops of their voices as they dragged their empty boats down the sandy shore and pushed them into the frothy water, eager to get to the best fishing spots before anyone else did. Sparkling wind-ruffled waves crawled lazily up the beach and the air was alive with the sound of chirping birds silhouetted against the gold of the setting sun. Thin spires of smoke from crackling bonfires rose high above the edge of the cliff, signalling the presence of humans on the beach.

Raucous laughter startled the various creatures prowling in the shadows and alerted them to the groups of people sitting around fires, swapping stories and enjoying the gorgeous sunset. One thirsty man sipped water from a plastic bottle and tossed it away when he was done. Many more followed suit.

As the sun dipped below the horizon and the moon gradually lightened up the darkening sky, it was time for the people to eat. Plastic bags with uncooked marinated meat were brought out and untied. While the meat cooked over merry fires, the smell of food wafted tantalizingly in the air. Unnoticed by the revellers, the wind gently, playfully carried away the empty plastic bags and deposited them far out into the ocean.

"What a fantastic vacation!"

Meanwhile, in the depths of the ocean, plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic straws floated, dancing an eerie waltz in the deafening silence. Several fish swam past and smelled something absolutely fascinating.

"Food!"

They swam excitedly towards the drifting plastic and started to nibble at it. Slowly, their stomachs filled with more plastic, their bodies weakened with no nutrition.

And then, the fishermen at work had them in their nets. Burly hands hauled them out of the water and tossed them onto a hard wooden surface.

"Ha! That's a handsome catch we've got here!"

"Yes, that is a good market."

The fish were carried back to the beach — a beach now littered with glass bottles, plastic and paper cups from the picnic. An old man laboured to collect the trash from yet one more human interaction with nature.

"Oh look! These thoughtless tourists have done it again."

"Ramesh! There is no point in trying to clean it."

The fishermen were soon busy loading their motorcycles with the catch of the day, smiling in anticipation at the thought of the profit to be made when the fish was sold to the highest bidder.

Cruise vacations, beach-side barbecues, riotous merry-making and festivals are all active contributors to the 'wealth' of plastic which now exceeds the number of fish in the ocean. Sea birds, fish and other aquatic life is dying from plastic consumption. We ourselves ingest micro plastics which cause tissue damage. What is the cost of our recklessness as we mercilessly, relentlessly encourage the menace without a thought for the future? The situation will only get worse if not controlled. It is now up to us to choose. Planet, life, song and light or grey, sodden dirty plastic?