ABSTRACT

A new fundamental economic and political change is needed for an effective response to climate change. Since previous attempts to deal with the problem have failed. So what might be done? This article is a humble attempt to analyse the environmental issues and aims to provide a structured approach to improve the situations.

INTRODUCTION

Myriads talks on environmental concerns, day by day, is becoming as pervasive as the quintessential oxygen enveloping us, essential for our existence. However, the concerns which until a few decades ago were just spiralling in our thoughts and actions, have, now somehow-somewhere, taken the shape of action. But, the void of its "impact" is still lying latent. One of the plausible reasons is certainly the measurable tangible steps, still not taken on the low-hanging fruits in the area. One such fruit comprises women and children, who, constitute a major chunk of our population (Women- 50.8% as per the U.S. Census Bureau, and Children under the age of 15 are 26%, says statistica.com), fabricating a huge impact on the climate change by their indispensable diapers and sanitary napkins. 

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Not metaphorically, though, but, the waste generated by the use of sanitary napkins & tampons by a single woman during her menstrual years, it says, equals almost 125 kg of non-biodegradable waste; and, this when applies to 900 million of adolescent girls and young women, is potent enough to create havocking bang on the already alarming global warming. The book, Greeniology 2020: Greener Living Today, and in the Future, quotes a study by the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, which has revealed that the material used in tampon applicators and the synthetic back of a sanitary are a serious contributor to climate change so much so that The Eco Guide- 2016 claims that such products potentially leave carbon footprints of a whopping 5.3 kg. Diapers used in children are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to their share of contaminating the environment; the pathogens the used diapers engender discharge lethal gases like methane et al into the surrounding. Moreover, it takes hundreds and hundreds of years for these items essentially having low-density polyethylene, to decompose.

CALL TO ACTION

The situation as grave as outlined, not only needs immediate intervention from the authorities concerned but a systematic and thought through political intent is also required to back the actions on this front, that too, at a global level. Amidst the conflicts to single out a particular country or its government to lead the project creating another vicious cycle of hegemony, it would be wise to involve the 1996 created Council of Women World Leaders as the principal mentor for its incubation, planning, implementation and drawing of palpable inferences. The feasible association responsible for tightening of the project would be World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children Funds (UNICEF) and marked out scientists in the area to contribute towards the development of healthy yet low-cost relevant articles. The first and foremost necessity to take off this project would be to make the millions well aware of the deadly pass-outs their usage is giving away to the environment where we habitat. 

Though it is far-sighted at the moment, but realistically, decentralizing the sub-sections of the project wore is followed by ensuring a behavioural change of the group towards the usage of eco-friendly products instead. The WHO and UNICEF here would play a vital role in their part. The nexus between these agencies and the corporate bodies introduced to manufacture eco-friendly products as such has to be well established for smooth supply of the same. The mammoth task has to have a realistic deadline to meet the desired outcomes with positive inferences taking shape for the continuity and continual improvisation on it, so that the possible environmental impact it would craft, would not be transitory in nature.

While at the one end, the political intent or will when, is given a shape, by proficient squad, bodies, agencies, on board, the other end needs a firm financial curve to not only hold on but aid a solid suspension, which only grows stronger in years to come. In this case, it is utmost necessary that the finance must not become a road-block. Hence, one of the pragmatic steps towards guaranteeing free-flow financials pertains taxation. To quote theguardian.com on a report by Credit Suisse, "The globe’s richest 1% own half the world’s wealth, according to a new report highlighting the growing gap between the super-rich and everyone else." What is more, perturbing is the riches of the world including the corporate bodies and MNCs, putting the concerted and persistent effort in evading the taxes, thereby incessantly deepening the inequality of the wealth. It is paramount, in such a scenario, to squeeze up the loopholes in the taxation part of individual riches and enforce the industrial and corporate firms to donate 1% of their revenues to the apparent would-be Council for the project detailed herewith.

CONCLUSION

This brings us to infer that if not anything, it is certain that doing leads to knowing. Thus, unless we initiate paving the path, as laid herein, the far-fetched yet a measurably gigantic impact that the Sanitary Napkin and Children Diapers projects can bring forth seems 'easier said than done' at the moment. However, it is evident that the facts with respect to the massive waste landfills being filled up by such substances coming from almost half of our world population are no more alarming because it has already steered us into a perennial maze, the way to which has to be discovered right at the moment and not a minute later.

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END NOTE:

• (n.d.). Retrieved from www.statistica.com.
• Greeniology 2020. (n.d.).
• The Eco Guide 2016. (n.d.).
• (n.d.). Retrieved from www.theguardian.com.