Envisioning a Plastic-Free Ramadan

In its “Global Plastics Outlook,” The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development estimated that around 380 million tons of plastic waste is produced annually worldwide and 43 million tons of plastic come from consumer products that mostly end up in landfills. As such, plastic is an integral part of human life, but plastic waste is among the worst forms of pollution to the environment, human health, and/or to other animal species. No doubt some uses of plastic are unavoidable. There are many legitimate industrial and medical uses for the substance. For example, many medical procedures require plastic tubing and other uses of plastic material. Diabetic patients also require  single-use plastics for insulin and plastic straws are cheap and convenient for those recovering from injury as well as those with a permanent physical disability. Because of the need for plastics in these vital medical procedures, going plastic-free would be impossible. 

However, abuse and/or misuse of plastic as a convenience product produces waste at an alarming level. An example is the excessive use of plastic bags around the globe. The proliferation of single use plastic bags has caused severe environmental damage. They rip, tear, and float away in the slightest breeze and are a hazard for the environment and wildlife. They are not biodegradable and can therefore cause environmental toxicity for generations. 

Between 75 to 199 million tons of plastic waste ends up in our oceans, damaging the marine ecosystem with possible long-term ecological consequences. Improper disposal of plastic waste also results in soil contamination. Further damage is done when these plastics release harmful chemicals as they break down, affecting soil quality and  harming plants, animals, and microorganisms. Sadly, most of this waste  is generated in impoverished countries where garbage collections are unreliable or non-existent. In these communities, most plastic waste is incinerated in homes or on streets or in small dumps without environmental controls. As with the manufacture of plastics, the burning of plastic waste produces greenhouse gases, releases cancer-causing dioxins, and causes particulate pollutants that are incredibly damaging to human health.

Domestic animals are often fed food embedded with plastic. In India, many cows and buffalos die every year eating discarded food wrapped in plastic bags. In September 2019, the New Delhi Zoo’s last cape buffalo died after eating a plastic bag. Marine animals are also at risk as they can easily ingest or become entangled in plastic debris. Plastic pollution disrupts ecosystems by affecting the balance of various species and the frequency of their interactions. Overall, plastic debris in natural habitats leads to changes in biodiversity, nutrient cycles, and ecosystem function. 

Addressing an intergovernmental panel on Oct. 28, 2024, in Cali, Colombia, UN Secretary General António Guterres stated, “Plastic pollution is everywhere – all around us and even inside us – from our seas to our blood to our brains. We are choking on plastic.” 

Micro and Nano Plastics (MnPs)

Plastics also exist as microscopic and nano particles released from larger products. They are invisible to the naked eye and are seen as a critical problem for climate change by many due to this lack of visibility. 

Microplastics are defined as fragments smaller than 5 millimeters while nano plastics are smaller than 1 micrometer. Together, they are referred to by the acronym MnPs. Recent studies indicate that they are in the air and dust we breathe, the water we drink, the rain and snow falling from the sky, the food we eat, the paints we use, and the cosmetics we wear. 

MnPs slough off from dental aligners, toothbrushes, food packaging, takeout containers, plastic bottles, and in building infrastructure. They are also released from synthetic clothing, plastic fabrics, plastic carpets, and furniture. Other sources of MnPs include fertilizers, soil, irrigation, and food crops. Yearly, billions of vehicles worldwide shed an estimated 6 million tons of tire fragments, accounting for 28% of microplastics entering the environment globally.

Scientific evidence shows that microplastics are accumulating in critical human organs, including the brain, human lungs, placentas, reproductive organs, livers, kidneys, knee and elbow joints, blood vessels and bone marrow. The health hazards that result from this accumulation  are not yet well-known though recent studies are suggesting microplastics could increase the risk of various conditions such as oxidative stress which can lead to cell damage and inflammation, as well as cardiovascular disease. 

Efforts to Reduce Plastic Use

In 2022, UN member states agreed on a resolution to end plastic pollution. An Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee was assigned to develop a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution to be finalized by the end of 2024. On Nov. 25, 2024, members of this committee met in South Korea to finalize this Global Plastic Treaty. Despite the deadline, no agreement was reached, and discussions were left to be continued in the coming year(s).

To get ahead of the game, many countries and some states in the U.S. banned plastic bags. In February 2024, Ireland introduced the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). The program levied a refundable tax on plastic bottles that is given back to consumers once they return their empty containers. Similar initiatives have been adopted in many European countries, and the results are astonishing. For example, the recycling rate of plastic bottles in Norway is 97%.  

HUID, a startup based in Oban, Scotland with support from the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, is developing eco-friendly packaging made from onion skins. Onion skins have antimicrobial properties, meaning the packaging could help extend the shelf life of perishable foods. Though promising, this project is still in its early phases and it  will take some time for it to become commercially viable. 

In the U.S., on Oct. 28, 2024, Southwest Airlines announced that it was introducing a new cold cup consisting of 93% non-plastic materials containing a pulp blend of 75% bamboo and 25% paper with polyethylene lining. The airline expects to reduce in-flight single-use plastic by more than 1.5 million pounds annually.

Ramadan Resolution – Limiting Exposure to Plastic 

“But waste not by excess: for God loves not the wasters” (Quran 6:141).

Considering the health and environmental hazards of plastic use, as Muslims we can take a moment to reflect on our own actions and explore ways to make Ramadan practices more sustainable and more eco-friendly. In the spirit of our responsible stewardship of the Earth, we should act to minimize carbon footprints and to preserve the blessings of nature for future generations. Small changes will make a positive impact by incorporating sustainable practices into daily life during and beyond the holy month of Ramadan.

Consider adopting the following steps:  

• Avoid single-use plastics – utilize non-plastic straws, plates and cutlery alternatives, when possible.
• Rethink food storage; use stainless or glass containers, when possible. Do not use plastic baggies, plastic wrap, plastic storage containers, or materials such as Styrofoam. 
• Use reusable shopping bags. 
• Avoid using cosmetics that contain microplastics
• Use refillable water bottles instead of disposable, plastic bottled water.
• Use bars of soap instead of liquid shower gels, shampoos, conditioners, or  hand soaps.
• Avoid microwaving food or beverages in plastic containers.
• Do not put plastic in the dishwasher.
• Recycle all plastic containers.
• Look at the recycling code on the bottom of product packaging to find the plastic type and avoid plastics with recycling codes 3, which typically contain phthalates.

The ISNA Green Initiative Team appreciates the minimization of the use of  plastics to safeguard our collective health and protect the only environment we have.

The ISNA Green Initiative Team includes Huda Alkaff, Saffet Catovic, Nana Firman, Uzma Mirza, and S. Masroor Shah (chair).

Whatever the method you choose for raising your bilingual children, make sure that they are exposed to the minority language (this being the non-common language in your wider environment) to at least 30% of their time, which roughly means about 25 hours a week. 

More than that, perfect if you can pull it. Less than that, chances are that your child will understand you but won’t speak actively. 

How can you get 25 hours a week of the minority language?

Use the most of your time with your child to speak to them. Ask them questions. Tell them how your day went. Tell them stories. Don’t waste their family time on watching cartoons or playing passively. 

Use content in the minority language. Get them to watch cartoons or children’s programs in your tongue (my son adores my favourite childhood cartoons). Buy and read them books in your tongue or translate it if it’s a book in another language. 

Find other speakers of the language and hang together. Let them play with other children that speak the same language.

If you travel to your home country, get them into a summer camp or similar activity with other children. They learn best when they are talking among themselves.

Practical Tips

What if your child understands you but answers in the other language?

First, be patient. 

If they are just learning to speak, they will lean on the language they are most comfortable with. Just repeat their answer in your language and keep on. They will pick it up after you do it a couple of times.

I use the following trick with my son when he answers me in Catalan. I pretend that I don’t understand him. I keep putting blank face until he relents and answers in Bosnian.

Sometimes he won’t know a specific word and then I repeat his answer putting the correct translation in. Now he asks me beforehand: “Daddy, how do I say … in Bosnian?”. 

My child makes mistakes in my language. What should I do?

That’s normal. When learning a new language, you also make mistakes until you don’t. It’s the same with children.

Children get the grammar rules by association with other known words. They will tend to make the plural forms or verb tenses, for example, in regular fashion and they’ll learn later that there are exceptions.

You shouldn’t correct them by saying “you don’t say X, you say Y”. Instead, repeat the sentence they said in the correct way. 

For example, if they say “I have seed a bird” you should say “Ah, you have seen a bird? Which one?“. 

A couple of repetitions for the same pattern and they will learn. 

Final Thoughts

Raising a multi-lingual child can be challenging, on top of the “usual” parenting challenges.

Don’t worry if you feel like you are not getting anywhere. It took me two months for my son to call me “tata” which means “daddy” in Bosnian. Just keep on and speak to them. 

They will be thankful for that one day.