Planet or Plastic Entry

The Beginning of the End

The sea was lashing against the rocks and Dr. Shankar, quietly stared at it, wishing the waves could truly show the anger towards humans. That anger would be more merciful than the punishment humanity will receive.

He stood there as another person walked to him and accompanied him.

"What was the conclusion?" Dr. Shankar asked quietly.

"The governments all over the world are agreeing, that it is a crisis indeed." Steven trailed off.

"But?"

Steven sighed "It will take time, it is expensive and the government will hold a conference and negotiate it."

Dr. Shankar barked out a disbelieving laugh.

"So you want half the population to be wiped out by the time this conference happens?"

"Dr. Shankar, I understand as an oceanographer, your priority lies in saving the sea and people, but things are not as simple..."

Dr. Shankar turned to the man who was one of the people who knew what was going to happen.

"We are at the brink of true apocalypse. One that was not created by nature but by us. It has started creeping on us already. This destruction will not come suddenly and engulf everything and sweep it away. It will come slowly and kill painfully."

From the year 2955 onward, the world witnessed the slow but steady death of people. People started feeling violently sick without any reason and then died. The probable cause was traced back to the presence of micro plastics. From the sea, these small particles of plastics had started invading fresh water sources and then crept up the food chain. The deaths first started in the coastal regions and gradually progressed to mainland. This was preceded by declining mortality rates. Slowly but surely, humanity was perishing. Many of the animals were already extinct.

But humans were worried about the cost which will be incurred while cleaning the sea and sanitizing the water. They were worried about the patents , about the economy. While these worries were not unreasonable, but could one truly think of cost when death is knocking at the door?

While both were musing over this, Dr. Shankar let out a startled laugh. Steven looked at him questioningly.

"I think we should stop worrying it Steven, maybe we should let it be..." Dr. Shankar let out a diabolical laugh while Stevens stared uncomprehending at him.

"Don't you see" he waved his hand towards the sea and continued "life began through water, from the seas and will end in it. There is no other way humanity will end. No other way which is befitting."

"None of the other species before us had the ability to destroy the planet. We did. We were selfish; selfish enough to destroy our planet."