A Brief History of How Plastic Has Changed Our World

A Brief History of How Plastic Has Changed Our World | National Geographic

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6 жыл бұрын

We’re addicted to plastic. But how did the world become so dependent on it in the first place?
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Think about it: What would you do without garbage bags or credit cards or headphones? Plastic has been around for only about 150 years, but it’s hard to imagine life without it. This video investigates how it became a such an important part of modern life and when the tide began to turn against it.
This story is part of Planet or Plastic?-our multiyear effort to raise awareness about the global plastic-waste crisis.
natgeo.com/plastic
Learn what you can do to avoid single-use plastics, and take our pledge to reduce your own usage.
www.nationalgeographic.com/en...
A Brief History of How Plastic Has Changed Our World | National Geographic
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Пікірлер: 452

@NatGeo 6 жыл бұрын

Plastic has become a part of every day life all throughout the world. What did you find most intriguing about the history of this ubiquitous material?

@CaryKelly11 6 жыл бұрын

A type of plastic can be made from milk. The resulting product is odorless, insoluble in water, biodegradable and virtually nonflammable. The only problem is that it cannot be molded once set. If only we could figure how to apply it to everything we need plastic for...

@blue_jai2790 6 жыл бұрын

National Geographic I chose Planet over Plastic

@reclusepilgrim 6 жыл бұрын

National Geographic It's takes more than just a pledge. Bangladesh was the first country in the world to ban plastic bags in 1996. That's the kind of reinforcement that's needed from the government side. One person alone cannot make a difference when there's so much plastic around.

@y.z.6517 6 жыл бұрын

Plastic is a "ubiquitous material" because it is a collection of many many different materials including ABS, PET, PVC, nylon and so on and on.

@vaidehipathania5017 5 жыл бұрын

@@reclusepilgrim I beg to differ, one person can sure as well make a lot of difference. You just do your part and guide others whom you come across. Even if the country has banned plastic I am sure it is still regularly used by the citizens, so the initiative has to come from an individual to REFUSE and not from some authority.

@Miimu5210 6 жыл бұрын

Bio-degradable is the way to go. We need alternative materials that can be used harmoniously with nature.

@hellatze 6 жыл бұрын

It waste if space.

@mr.personhumanson6871 6 жыл бұрын

I have tote bags that I use whenever I go buy stuffs at the market. Better than any kind of plastic bags.

@hellatze 6 жыл бұрын

the only way to reduce plastic are to limit the usage of plastics. your hemp plastic are useless and waste of resource. the need of plastic cannot match with the need of production, and useful land to produce bio plastic are scarce.

@525Lines 6 жыл бұрын

Cellophane is made from corn, I think. That's biodegradable.

@525Lines 6 жыл бұрын

Hemp was also an excellent material for making paper. Of course, the hemp that makes that versatile fiber isn't marijuana.

@cristianMoon24 6 жыл бұрын

So happy to see plastic pollution getting attention !!!

@NatGeo 6 жыл бұрын

We agree, Cristian - awareness is key to action! Hopefully the more people see the harmful effects of plastic, the more they'll be encouraged to use it responsibly.

@ethanr9080 6 жыл бұрын

THIS IS NOT A MATERIAL PROBLEM! it's a behavioural one. Consumerism. If you make bags and wrappers out of biodegradable materials, yes short term thats gonna reduce plastic waste but that's not stopping the long term problem of One Use Products. That's the real issue, the fact we so carelessly throw things away without thinking after such a short time...

@noway4879 6 жыл бұрын

People will never change, u cant tell people to stop using so much and expect them to do so. There needs to be something more clever than that.

@ethanr9080 6 жыл бұрын

I am Alucard It's not about telling people what to do. You show people the consequences to their actions and show them what they can do to help. Then THEY make the call. I may be paraphrasing but Sylvia Earle said, "It doesn't matter if someone doesn't care but if they don't know then they can't care".

@DBT1007 6 жыл бұрын

Ppl that has hiperconsumerism rate is western ppl especially USA citizens.

@JustinArce10 6 жыл бұрын

More than showing, governments could have a one use product tax, or excess plastic tax. Also, banning some uses and products, because I don't see a black market for well wrapped cookies or disposable non biodegradable plastic bags. Add that to make people think about the consequences of their actions and it can have a big impact.

@cheerrheur9894 6 жыл бұрын

It's just the beginning. . .

@CaryKelly11 6 жыл бұрын

Does anyone have a plastic bag full of plastic bags or it just me?

@ankitaminhas4372 6 жыл бұрын

Carl Keller me too

@ailiaone 6 жыл бұрын

Used to until plastic bags were banned in my state

@CaryKelly11 6 жыл бұрын

Lia : wish my state would ban them too.

@CutieRingoJoy 4 жыл бұрын

Me too, my mum use them for bin instead of buying trash bags

@suscrieforsubscribing1146 4 жыл бұрын

My grandma has it in Nepal

@mr.personhumanson6871 6 жыл бұрын

Tobacco Leaded Gasoline Plastic I wonder what other mundane stuffs we use are actually bad for us and the world but the manufacturers are still hiding or denying that fact.

@ES11777 6 жыл бұрын

Mr. Person Humanson Animal products

@omgness1234 6 жыл бұрын

Where do you find leaded gas? Been out of the US gas stations for awhile now (except track/off-road applications)

@Future_Pheonix 6 жыл бұрын

Don't forget mercury... And many other toxins that are in and around us.

@nk361 6 жыл бұрын

Guns anymore than a small pistol, the NRA will protect it as long as it can though for their income

@DBT1007 6 жыл бұрын

Plastic is actually necessary. We need material strong like metal but light like wood. and it's soft and waterproof. We need plastic. But with the current techs we have, bio-plastic please. We need bio-plastic except for material like cables and electronical components. it's still need the normal plastic

@reclusepilgrim 6 жыл бұрын

It's takes more than just a pledge. Bangladesh was the first country in the world to ban plastic bags in 1996. That's the kind of reinforcement that's needed from the government side. One person alone cannot make a difference when there's so much plastic around.

@FleurPillager 6 жыл бұрын

Our world is plastic in more ways than one.

@PantsB4Squares 6 жыл бұрын

Fleur Bandito women are replacing their beautiful natural bodies for plastic.😭

@ES11777 6 жыл бұрын

Fleur Bandito Not the world but people who live in it

@egesajesse 6 жыл бұрын

Monsato was involved in something shady, big surprise there... lol.

@AzlianaLyana 6 жыл бұрын

Plastic. Biodegradable. For starters, I see a lot of marts providing biodegradable ones, which is a huge step forward. Unfortunately, there are too many other things that we use that rely on plastic as a form of container or to hold some sort of structure. Thanks for sharing National Geographic.

@Manikant144 6 жыл бұрын

reduce ....reuse....recycle....refuse

@cheerrheur9894 6 жыл бұрын

Mani Kanth and lastly reevaluate

@k.p.8955 5 жыл бұрын

Yeah but use what instead which is sustainable, biodegradable, efficient, and those good things? What replaces it? Not cardboard? Nature has shown us through things like fruit that come in their own nice little natural package. So how can that idea be applied to takeout packaging, transportation, storage, and all these many uses? Tough question I think.

@ayodeleric 3 жыл бұрын

And rethink!, this' the first

@lorenzosomma3913 3 жыл бұрын

gg bro

@lukaszs727 6 жыл бұрын

In many countries in Europe people need to pay for plastic bags in the grocery shops. There is a law for it now, which resulted in reduction of usage. My local supermarket in Poland offers milk in glass bottles and it is only cost 20 cents more than milk in plastic bottles :)

@r.r.r9300 5 жыл бұрын

It's like that in California too :)

@leeannmansfield5254 3 жыл бұрын

ENGLAND TOO

@jonathansprings5000 6 жыл бұрын

I choose planet. Its sad but true how destructive our species really is.

@jonathansprings5000 6 жыл бұрын

Frog prince that is absolutely false. Your an idiot. And I didn't say evil... I said destructive. Learn something.

@AkankshaSingh-hx4db 6 жыл бұрын

Jonathan Springs that's what most people get wrong. Even if global warming and waste flooding continue at this rate, cause a mass extinction, the earth would stay. A lot of species would die but then life would develop and flourish again. You are NOT saving life and the earth. They will live for billions of years. What the human species is destroying is itself. The loss of biodiversity will affect us economically . If the climate changes, OUR agriculture would suffer and OUR species will die. You are too little to SAVE THE PLANET. You are only saving your own species. Keep doing it. Just remember you are not doing anything selfless.

@fernandomorales4691 6 жыл бұрын

nerdgirl Akanksha Well we are the cause for the next extinction.

@AkankshaSingh-hx4db 6 жыл бұрын

Fernando Morales also our own

@ayodeleric 3 жыл бұрын

@@AkankshaSingh-hx4db Right-oh, but let's rewind we are the first domain species to develop the capacity of creating chemical new things, from extractivism, those are strange to the ecosystems, in frenzy mass. Shall the Earth after so many time (not now, but just when we get enough and disappear) rise up from a "plastigraphy"? I mean... after it's each element surrounded by petrol derivate products? In billions of years, the nature turned all in this planet into something else, so what about this quest?

@expat74 6 жыл бұрын

Creepiest crash test dummy

@k.kchaitanya3700 6 жыл бұрын

increase the price of plastic items 4times or increase the taxes on those factories or ban those factories or stop giving permissions for new factories or recycling or provide alternatives or create more awareness about it by creating videos like this or provide scholarships for experiments about alternatives... out of above options so many are applied but no use... please comment more options, without repeating above options please

@zimautanimation 6 жыл бұрын

the problem is, goverment contoled by those company. U see it ur self in video, they able to change the law for their own profit

@jayesh1891 6 жыл бұрын

Reuse the plastics

@keloid123 6 жыл бұрын

K.K chAitAnyA you will be the first one to complain though if some of this happen

@k.kchaitanya3700 6 жыл бұрын

keloid long thank you my dear

@curlyhairdudeify 6 жыл бұрын

K.K chAitAnyA Gee, where do you live. California.

@DaleTrevors 4 жыл бұрын

I'm so grateful for these docummentaries.

@anarchyantz1564 6 жыл бұрын

What I do not understand is that natural pumice used to be used in facial and body scrubs which is pretty much free to collect from any site of volcanic activity and yet companies switched to these micro beads of plastic, which lets face it must have cost more to produce, never biodegrade and are easily consumed buy fish and birds which then ends up with us humans eating it.

@ethanr9080 6 жыл бұрын

Anarchy Antz I don't think it is cheeper though... the materials might be but when you factor in transport, sterilization ect...

@omgness1234 6 жыл бұрын

Can’t be scaled to the amount we use, not even close

@lilaclizard4504 6 жыл бұрын

& there is PLENTY of pumice on the planet & being produced all the time by volcanoes to meet our face care needs, but if you want more renewable, then fine, that charcoal left over from a campfire, run it through some water mixed with the ash from said fire a few times & you have activated carbon that can do the same job & more

@Noelbluesky 4 жыл бұрын

wow! what an incredibly informative video. Thank you sharing with everyone.

@roxanadelacruz6485 6 жыл бұрын

Excelente vídeo para contextualizarnos de dónde viene el plástico y a dónde nos lleva. Gracias por compartir.

@hassanghannam4005 5 жыл бұрын

It's awesome that National Geographic made this documentary about plastic and its harmful effects yet they still package their magazines in plastic, oh the irony of consumerism and capitalism

@shreyanshdas7481 6 жыл бұрын

Cool video.Very educative.

@selim4275 6 жыл бұрын

it's always about us but we always blame the industry to relieve our conscience

@ahmadaliraja7426 6 жыл бұрын

Amazing

@savalidesai6458 4 жыл бұрын

The world needs to take plastic pollution seriously. thanks to national geographic for this much informative vedio!

@andreamazzi4382 6 жыл бұрын

Italy banned plastic bags a few years ago. If you go to the store now you can buy reusable bags which are expensive (4/5€) but very robust and reusable. I remember when the switch happened for a few months we always forgot to bring those bags with us. But after a while it became a routine. That's it, you have to change your habits from use-and-throw-away to buy-and-reuse. I'm very happy because in the long run is cheaper and greener. Recently also plastic bags for groceries have been replaced by biodegradable ones.

@joshuaadams8240 5 жыл бұрын

Very good show. I was really hoping at the end though, you'd say "paper, or plastic?"

@mariadaluzmoutinho5701 6 жыл бұрын

Excelente vídeo!! Obrigado... andar na corda bamba ...de que lado irá partir??

@lilaclizard4504 6 жыл бұрын

This REALLY highlights a cultural difference between US & Australian countries (and probably others too) While US companies were pre-empting government bans & fighting them, Australian companies were pre-empting bans & deciding they would get in first & implement their own bans to avoid legislation being passed against them. Look & learn America! I don't know, but I'm going to guess Europe is probably the same as Australia?

@samyuktapanthfilms4151 6 жыл бұрын

This deserves more views.

@Kropikovo 6 жыл бұрын

True. In my country we have the option to get a paper bag instead, but you have to pay for it.

@PantsB4Squares 6 жыл бұрын

Kropikovo yup the USA in some countys that is..

@jayfawn8478 6 жыл бұрын

I thought this video is from Vox

@ailiaone 6 жыл бұрын

jay fawn same

@thesecondkate 6 жыл бұрын

Oh thank goodness there's a narrator for this one. Interesting video! 😄

@neoarmstrongcyclonejetarms703 6 жыл бұрын

no to plastic so that means we have to get rid of the kardashians

@lilaclizard4504 6 жыл бұрын

works for me :)

@msmarisol14 5 жыл бұрын

Haha

@santiagomea_UOS 5 жыл бұрын

Hahahaha

@silvervixen007 4 жыл бұрын

😂😂😅

@leeannmansfield5254 3 жыл бұрын

WHO ARE THEY? PLASTIC PEOPLE.

@wuznab5109 5 жыл бұрын

0:27 I remember it all to well...

@julianlazingonasunnyaftern5855 6 жыл бұрын

Monsanto is EVIL

@MariahsPapayas 6 жыл бұрын

Amen

@dineshanjuri108 6 жыл бұрын

Plastic has gone too far in diverse applications. We barely do find anything not made of plastic. Businessess find it cheaper, so the trend goes by. If the governments care about the healthy survival of this Planet, stricter regulations must be passed. Biodegradable alternatives would eventually help in bringing down plastic demand.

@andrewl.3382 6 жыл бұрын

Has anyone noticed how wars always shape a society for the better, but in the very long run will damage it?

@hellatze 6 жыл бұрын

This plastic are the item that uplift us a lot.

@gajananpokale40 6 жыл бұрын

Yes bro we must take care about environment

@ethanlai2050 6 жыл бұрын

Interesting

@hanniecakes 5 жыл бұрын

The root of this is caused mainly on our behavioural dependence on plastic. We can easily opt to shift and change to more sustainable and eco-friendly products.

@sennsir 6 жыл бұрын

I choose our Mother Earth! 🌏✨

@katelynns4887 5 жыл бұрын

PREACH!!!

@dsourm_ 4 жыл бұрын

I agree!

@herbiekoziol5720 4 жыл бұрын

Before plastic existed there were alternatives. Like using glass milk bottles. We need to save the Earth and it isn’t going to happen if we don’t change our ways. Sometimes what we used to do is better then what we do now.

@christopherburford7069 5 жыл бұрын

Wow

@sanderwong2288 Жыл бұрын

Plastic pollution is still silences in many countries and communities, school children should know this better, so they can teach their parents about plastic emergency

@joeltm8697 3 жыл бұрын

I wish the US would go ahead with the ban so that biodegradable alternatives can become more developed and widespread

@shubhansusingh6340 6 жыл бұрын

well guess what you are watching this video on a plastic

@dennisbeers 6 жыл бұрын

I love how NG placed the garbage on the beaches to make it look like all our beaches are like that.

@cheating_lemon 6 жыл бұрын

Planet ...

@GLRAVGJSKSG-lr8bx 4 ай бұрын

I love the thumbnail(the feet 😁)

@FalconFastest123 5 жыл бұрын

Last year the big environmental movement was to reduce use of glass bottles because of sand shortages on the world's beaches. Now it's back to reducing plastic bottles. Guess bottles are just out altogether, eh?

@ashleydevos2763 5 жыл бұрын

Super markets need to be more responsible. Stop unnecessary packaging, Reduce the use of plastics at the source. Don't pass the responsibility of disposal to the consumer.

@ahan300 5 жыл бұрын

I have been to an Indonesia island and the plastic problem is real. The thrown out garbage mostly plastics are not decomposing fast enough, left floating close to the shore. Gov should proactively promote the biodegradable alternative at least if banning plastic is too much.

@nitish523 16 күн бұрын

The population of the world exploded at the same time the demand and supply of goods and services increased drastically and still the population is growing at a rapid rate and the use of plastic would be required in maximum numbers, maximum production to keep pace with the growing materialism and consumerism

@theresagamble7902 Жыл бұрын

Is there a media request form where I can request use of one of the National Geographic videos?

@tejaspatel6965 Жыл бұрын

Whatever we touch becomes plastic Its a curse

@USA50_ Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video 🇺🇲💪❤️

@vie3147 6 жыл бұрын

I am currently watching this on my phone which has plastics as parts while setting on a plastic chair drinking from a plastic bottle.

@GillyBillz 6 жыл бұрын

This makes anyone wanna go green

@prettyprecy6331 5 жыл бұрын

After plastic problem is over. We're gonna be worrying bout how trees ran out from creating paper in substitute for plastic

@dranandvarunachari 6 жыл бұрын

The mobile or the computer we are watching this video,the camera used to shoot this , everything is plastic.its sad 😑we can't get rid of it fully.

@SCALEB_A 6 жыл бұрын

Wow didn't know there was so much plastic laying around..

@sergiolobo3270 6 жыл бұрын

I think the investigation is very poor. We must learn how to manage the solid waste produced by plastic from the producer, designer and consumer point of view, since changing plastic by other materials have a higher environmental impact in the emissions of CO2. For example, changing the plastic bags for paper or the plastic bottles for glass have a higher energy consumption and co2 footprint than continuing using plastic.

@xinbeicao6885 6 жыл бұрын

You're spot on.

@lilaclizard4504 6 жыл бұрын

my country's currently going single use plastic bag free, so I've been enjoying getting crafty while watching tv & making myself some old style string bags. Your problem with this?

@zyxwvutsrqponmlkh 5 жыл бұрын

I choose plastic. Besides most sea plastic does not come from consumer sources, most is discarded fishing nets from mostly Asian commercial fishermen.

@null-1 5 жыл бұрын

Alan Walker - Different World explains everything.

@hustlelady1642 5 жыл бұрын

You know, Studies say that plastic bags have a lighter carbon footprint than paper, and in some cases are preferable to reusable bags. Just saying.

@scottmccluremcclure3916 6 жыл бұрын

All those bottles on the beach where glass 100% recyclable and we won't put them in the bin

@gracewhiting4412 6 жыл бұрын

People say that they want to stop using plastic but we’re still using it

@kimmorris6001 5 жыл бұрын

Today, 8.1.19, plastic grocery store bags are banned in the state of Connecticut. Shoppers are being charged for them, ten cents each, and by 2021, they are banned completely. Victory over the ban plastic bag ban.

@bang-bangtv1116 4 жыл бұрын

❤️ Planet

@leonhardeuler675 5 жыл бұрын

Plastic bags are also a major contributor to the death of livestock, particularly in the developing world which directly affects the poorest people most of all. That's why Kenya has very strong laws against plastic bags.

@utchinhtang6057 3 жыл бұрын

People are seeking for convenience and they are doing anything for that. That convenience destroys the environment considerably. We are all living in the nature and sadly we have no gratitude for it.

@skptony 3 жыл бұрын

2:00 Ohh the irony😅🤣

@immersiveparadox 6 жыл бұрын

How about dumping the plastic garbage in volcano? Well the real problem is collecting those plastic from sea etc... I guess come up with an alternative for plastic bags, use paper bags instead... but that will reduce tree population. I guess we should totally think about this.

@andyrocker9271 5 жыл бұрын

*LOOK AT THE THUMBNAIL A LITTLE CLOSER*

@BelaMehta06 6 жыл бұрын

So shocking to know about the 'Garbage Barge'- the ship, San Francisco REFUSED to use plastic is happy gain. The dire battle between Planet and Plastic...

@igorbukovy4313 6 жыл бұрын

Some plastic products are not a problem but disposable plastic products are!

@imjdog 3 жыл бұрын

is that ghislaine maxwell at 1:58?

@amr_12_ 4 жыл бұрын

I don't know... but everytime someone says plastic, i think of Mean Girls

@bieight8 6 жыл бұрын

Planet!

@lepep6737 4 жыл бұрын

me just looking at the ads in the 60s, made me feel weird

@randomeverything2131 5 жыл бұрын

Please give solutions. We are aware of the problems. Everything comes with plastic.

@justinbligh 4 жыл бұрын

Plastic is great stuff.

@thuongtruong5739 3 жыл бұрын

Hopefully one day we get to vote what to use and not plastic and one great person some how will invented it to save the planet!

@KbB-kz9qp 5 ай бұрын

At the grocery store, my wife and I ask for paper bags.

@elsenorabuhasan463 4 ай бұрын

Mashallah

@KbB-kz9qp 4 ай бұрын

@@elsenorabuhasan463 Well isn’t that special? Aren’t You special? My my! 😂

@itsmemuffins 5 жыл бұрын

I do t get it? Don’t these companies live on the same planet as we do? Or do they think because they are so rich it doesn’t affect them too?

@surfie007 6 жыл бұрын

There are only 2 states in Australia that do not have bans on plastic bags

@lilaclizard4504 6 жыл бұрын

are there? which are they? NSW is switching at the moment, not a government forced ban, but coles & woolies are pre-empting it & going single use free. Is NSW one of those 2? & is the other/other 2 also losing bags due to the coles/woolies decision? I was assuming it was nationwide for any states that hadn't already gone bag free

@sankarshanpvaidya2230 3 жыл бұрын

I think we'll keep facing pandemics on such excessive plastic use! 🙄

@Draegoron 6 жыл бұрын

We can't ignore the world's garbage problem forever.

@NatGeo 6 жыл бұрын

We agree, Jonathan! We hope that the more people are aware of the world's trash situation, the more they'll want to do something about it.

@shafishafique6412 5 жыл бұрын

I remember my mother used to use a only cloth bag until she died 2004.... That bag was strong enough to carry almost all groceries... Get dirty wash it...

@Zovlanov 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you plastic! you have brought us to a whole new level of civilization. Your existence has paved the way for further technological and engineering progress that allows better living standards for all of us. From toys to space shuttle parts; from medical instruments to electronics. plastic have made it possible for mankind to go even further and beyond.

@angelicasmagic 4 жыл бұрын

It's funny how we often don't realise after having the animals involuntarily eating the plastics, the next will be us, who eat the animals who eat the plastic