We may be at risk of being strangled by a plastic straw

Paper straws encouraged eco-friendly behaviour but Trump has made plastic great again

- BIJU DOMINIC

What could cause the end of humanity? A few centuries back, this possibility was attributed to various communicable diseases. After the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, for several decades, nuclear war was projected as the likeliest cause of humanity's destruction. But the realization of potential dangers also brought counter-measures to protect the species. Advancements in medical research helped mitigate the deadly impact of communicable diseases. International treaties and a fear of mutual destruction have so far saved the world from a nuclear war.

In the last few decades, the overwhelming belief has been that climate change is the big danger that could bring about the end of humanity. As awareness of the consequences of climate change grew widespread, it was clear that the best counter-measure to tackle this peril would be to encourage sustainable behaviour among nations, corporates and ordinary citizens around the world.

Changing any human behaviour and then ensuring that such a change is sustained as a habit are some of the most difficult tasks anyone could take up. One reason why behavioural change is so tough to achieve is that many of the problems that necessitate this change do not have visible proof. For example, creating a habit of hand-washing is challenging because the germs present on one's hands are not visible to us. If one's hands look clean, it is very difficult to convince someone that they need cleaning.

Even if a problem is visibly evident, it is not easy to convince people to adopt corrective behaviour.