OP-ED: Plastic is not fantastic

Exploring alternatives to plastic is more important than ever
It is quite impossible to circumvent the usage of plastic products in this modern age. As you are reading this, you may be looking at your smartphone or laptop which consists of plastic materials. 

But it is ominous for life below the water and life on the land. Dumping plastic in the sea jeopardizes the life of marine species while excavation will destroy the soil and burning it will cause air pollution. So it is high time to reduce the usage and think about an alternative. 

Plastics are usually polymers of high molecular weight. In addition, it may contain other substances to improve performance and reduce costs. Commonly, they are derived from petrochemicals. This may be varied to several kinds. However, the important point to note is that most of them are non-biodegradable -- the decomposition may take 1000 years or more.