While consuming a product, we are least concerned with its effects on the environment. All we are concerned is how useful the product is to us. Let’s be serious, how many of us know that plastic is not at all an environmental friendly product and yet most of us tend to use it!
However, this does not mean that we should stop educating people. It is our task to spread awareness so that those who are wise might stop and create a change.
The Planet Today has come up with 5 products that are damaging the environment. These products are used by all of us. Here is a list of these 5 things.
(Disclaimer: the author has taken the products and its effects on the environment from authentic sources. Link to such sources is given at the end)
1. Sun Screen
While sunscreen is a miraculous product to the skin in both winters and summers, yet it poses a great disadvantage to the environment. While the users love to have a bit of it on their skin, research proves that 10 chemicals found in almost every sunscreen are threatening to the marine life.
The coral bleaching is caused because of such chemicals. Palau is the first country to have realized its effects and thereby has imposed a ban on sunscreen.
2. Avocados
Breakfast is incomplete without Avocados, nevertheless, do you know that each unit of Avocado requires 272 liters of water! This was revealed by the Water Footprint Network. The regions the fruit is grown also faces effects as the farmers illegally divert the water sources to their farm causing drought and water shortages in other regions.
3. Pineapples
The most produced fruit was pineapple last year in the UK. Costa Rica cleared up its farm to produce pineapples at a larger scale. However, this caused a devastating effect as pineapples are grown in monocultures. They also require a lot of pesticides for production.
4. Palm oil
Let’s first throw light to how we all tend to consume palm oil on daily basis. It is an essential component of Shampoo. It is used as a natural conditioner. It is also used in edibles such as chocolate, margarine, ice cream, bread, and biscuits. Some good quality lipsticks, washing detergents, toothpaste, and soaps use palm oil as well.
According to a report issued by the WWF in 2018, Palm oil plants tend to release large amounts of Carbon dioxide. This is threatening life and causing climate change.
5. Air Freshener
Air Freshener is contributing a lot to air pollution. Air Fresheners tend to incorporate a chemical known as limonene. Limonene itself is not a dangerous chemical, yet when released in the air it can react with ozone to produce formaldehyde. Formaldehyde can cause asthma and cancer.
Source: BBC Science and Environment
