# data[].attributes.body
Plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic packaging are bad for the environment.

What damage does plastic do to the environment?

What can be done by governments and individuals to solve this problem?

# data[].attributes.body
Plastic use has increased dramatically over the last 50 years, replacing more traditional packaging such as glass bottles, tins and paper bags. Unfortunately, this has also resulted in a huge amount of plastic being discarded, and this has caused a number of environmental problems.

One of the main problems is that when plastic degrades, it releases tiny particles which eventually get washed into the water supply. These particles can be toxic if ingested in large enough quantities, and may even be carcinogenic. Another problem is that animals may mistake plastic items for food. For example, seagulls often mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, and try to eat them, causing them to choke and die. Many larger aquatic animals have been found washed up on beaches with their digestive systems full of plastic material.

One of the obvious solutions is to make plastic packaging more expensive in order to encourage people to reuse plastic or avoid it altogether. Supermarkets in many countries have started to charge consumers for plastic bags and this has proved to be successful, with many people bringing their own reusable shopping bags. Another solution might be to improve local water supply. In many developing countries, tap water cannot be drunk because it contains bacteria or heavy metals, so people instead buy bottled water. However, this creates a colossal amount of plastic waste since these bottles are single-use. Helping countries like Thailand or Turkey modernise their domestic water supply infrastructure would therefore lead to a large reduction in the use of plastic bottles.

In conclusion, plastic packaging has harmful effects both on drinking water and for animals, but making it more expensive and improving access to drinkable water in the developing world can go a long way to reducing these problems.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This IELTS Writing Task 2 sample essay is a problems-solutions essay on the topic of plastic pollution from Cambridge IELTS 16. This lesson in includes my essay plan, my example essay, a vocabulary list and a fill-in-the-blanks activity. So let's get started!

Here is the task:

Plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic packaging are bad for the environment. What damage does plastic do to the environment? What can be done by governments and individuals to solve this problem?

Cambridge General Training 16 (Test 1)

This is a topic that has been on the news a lot over the last few years, especially since Sir David Attenborough's BBC documentary, BBC Planet II.

If you're struggling to generate ideas for this essay topic, read Greenpeace's page about plastic pollution.

What Damage? (Problem)
Plastic in water supply
When plastic degrades, tiny particles get washed into water supply. These are toxic, so can cause disease, e.g. cancer
Animals try to eat plastic

Animals mistake them for food. Causes problems

Some animals may choke on plastic bags and die

Make plastic packaging more expensive.

Extra cost of plastic will encourage people to re-use plastic or avoid it altogether

Supermarkets can charge for using plastic bags, so people will bring own bags.

Improve water supply
Many people buy drinking water in plastic bottles because local water supply is poor (bacteria, heavy metals, e.g. Thailand, Turkey)

Here is my visual plan for this essay. Click on the image to view it full-size.

Get Your Own IELTS Essay Planning Templates

Plastic use has increased dramatically over the last 50 years, replacing more traditional packaging such as glass bottles, tins and paper bags. Unfortunately, this has also resulted in a huge amount of plastic being discarded, and this has caused a number of environmental problems.

One of the main problems - one that has only recently been discovered - is that when plastic degrades, it releases tiny particles which eventually get washed into the water supply. These particles can be toxic if ingested in large enough quantities, and may even be carcinogenic. Another problem is that animals may mistake plastic items for food. For example, seagulls often mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, and try to eat them, causing them to choke and die. Many larger aquatic animals have been found washed up on beaches with their digestive systems full of plastic material.

So what can be done about this? One of the obvious solutions is to make plastic packaging more expensive in order to encourage people to re-use plastic or avoid it altogether. Supermarkets in many countries have started to charge consumers for plastic bags and this has proved to be successful, with many people bringing their own reusable shopping bags. Another solution might be to improve local water supply. In many developing countries, tap water cannot be drunk because it contains bacteria or heavy metals, so people instead buy bottled water. However, this creates a colossal amount of plastic waste since these bottles are single-use. Helping countries like Thailand or Turkey modernise their domestic water supply infrastructure would therefore lead to a large reduction in the use of plastic bottles.

To summarise, plastic packaging has harmful effects both on drinking water and for animals, but making it more expensive and improving access to drinkable water in the developing world can go a long way to reducing these problems.

(308 words)

Vocabulary

Here is some of the language in my essay that would ensure a high band score. Note that most of this language are phrases and collocations, not single words. Examiners are looking at your ability to use "lexical items" (i.e. groups of words) at Band 7 and above.

glass bottles, tins and paper bags

a huge amount of plastic being discarded

a number of environmental problems

has only recently been discovered

plastic degrades

releases tiny particles

washed into the water supply

toxic

ingested

carcinogenic

mistake...for

choke

aquatic animals

washed up on beaches

re-use plastic

reusable shopping bags

local water supply

heavy metals

colossal amount of

single-use

domestic water supply infrastructure

Can you re-create my essay? Without looking at the essay again, fill in the missing spaces with the correct words from my essay above. Good luck! (The activity works best on a desktop, laptop or tablet computer).
Paragraph 1 Paragraph 2 Paragraph 3 Paragraph 4

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
IELTS Model Essay: Plastic | IELTS Charlie

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This IELTS Writing Task 2 sample essay is a problems-solutions essay on the topic of plastic pollution from Cambridge IELTS 16. This lesson in includes my essay plan, my example essay, a vocabulary list and a fill-in-the-blanks activity. So let's get started! Here is the task: Plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic...

# data[].attributes.body
Nowadays, plastic use has increased tremendously because of its convenient daily use products, including bottles, bags, and plastic packaging. These items are pivotal in daily life due to their availability and low cost, but their impact on the ecosystem is severely adverse, making them the next major environmental hazard. This essay includes the damage plastic has done to planet Earth, along with some solutions to this problem.

Plastic pollution causes a lot of problems to our environment. The production of plastic contains a variety of non-renewable materials that can take millions of years to fully decompose, such as petroleum. When plastic degrades, it releases small particles, also known as microplastics, onto water supplies. Overconsumption of microplastics can eventually be extremely toxic for humans and animals. Marine animals, such as fish, turtles, and seagulls, can mistake plastic for food, leading to ingestion that can cause injury, starvation, and death. These actions can lead to a decrease in biodiversity, harm the environment, and slowly ruin nature.

To address this issue, both governments and individuals need to take action. Governments can enforce stricter regulations on plastic production and use. This can include banning harmful single-use plastic products, encouraging the use of biodegradable alternatives, and investing in better waste management systems to ensure that plastic waste is properly recycled and does not end up in natural environments. Educating others about the impact of plastic pollution and promoting renewable materials can help create an effort to slowly solve this issue. Individuals can also try to avoid plastic as well. Simple actions such as using reusable bags, bottles, and packaging can astronomically decrease the amount of plastic waste.

In conclusion, plastic pollution is a hazardous problem that can cause immense damage to the environment, such as polluting water supplies, killing biodiversity, and harming humans with mircoplastics. Although this issue will take a long time to solve, governments and citizens can help contribute to avoiding plastic pollution by promoting better resources, using recyclable products, and setting up better waste management systems. Together, we can create a better, plastic-pollution-free world.

# data[].attributes.headline
Name: Luna 𖦹🐋 ⋆｡.ೃ࿔ 🫧 ⁽ˢᵖᵉᶜⁱᵃˡ ˢʸᵐᵇᵒˡˢ ᶠᵒʳ ᵉˢˢᵃʸˢ⁾

# data[].attributes.subject
Name: Luna 𖦹🐋 ⋆｡.ೃ࿔ 🫧 ⁽ˢᵖᵉᶜⁱᵃˡ ˢʸᵐᵇᵒˡˢ ᶠᵒʳ ᵉˢˢᵃʸˢ⁾

# data[].attributes.body
Plastic. It is now really popular and we can see them everywhere, bottles, cups, bags,...Everyone is using it now because of the safety and durability it holds, totally replacing traditional packaging such as glass, paper bags, etc... But did you know that these products have ended up being a huge amount of waste, causing severe environmental damage? But, we can find a way to save the earth by seeing what damage it costs and what will we do to lessen the way it harms the earth!

One of the troubles plastic causes is when plastic products are no longer useful, humans will find a way to get rid of them There is a fast way to clear them out, and it is burning the waste. That way may seem very fast, but the consequences are unpredictable and unavoidable. Because burning plastic will release toxic chemicals into the atmosphere, causing air pollution. Moreover, people are illegally, or even legally, dumping trash into the ocean. The trash can contain plastic, which will end up being degraded into microplastics and we might be the one who consumes it when we eat fish! Or, sea animals such as turtles, dolphins,... may mistake a plastic bag for a jellyfish, if not, they can be trapped inside a net,.. a lot of tragic things could happen to the poor sea animals, and will cause so much water pollution.

Although it is a huge problem, it can have plenty of simple solutions! For example, we can stop buying plastic bottles and use our water bottles instead. Recycle the plastic product into something new, such as a flower pot, or a pencil case, be creative! Also, cook more, not only it's healthier, we can actually avoid plastic packaging, too! And, what about using a canvas bag instead of plastic bags for the next time you shop in the mall? I think that was a lot of helpful solutions, but I'd like to add one more very basic and crucial thing that you should remember. Do not litter,

even though you are on the road and you just finished a good box of grape juice, please don't throw it out of the window, keep it, and find an available trash can to throw in, this may seem simple, but we tend to not really care about it and might carelessly litter.

To sum up, plastic products in common has very serious problems going on right now. It causes harmful effects for not just animals, but towards humanity, too. So we need to take action, recycle, avoid plastic in your daily lives, and always remember to not litter!

# data[].attributes.body
Plastic use has increased drastically ever since the introduction of plastic things such as plastic cups, plates, and more. They are the things that are essential to us and can be used as everyday objects. The problem with that is that, due to their low cost, a lot of people started using them often, but they also threw them away after using them. They have caused a lot of environmental problems. This essay will explain the damage that plastic has done to the environment and what we can do to solve it.

Plastic is really dangerous to our environment. It releases harmful chemicals, and they can last a very long time. After using the plastic item, humans will try to put it away somewhere. In most cases, they will throw it in the ocean, where marine wildlife lives. Marine animals will mistake plastic for food, so they eat it. Eating plastic can make animals lose nutrition in their bodies; they will eat less than they used to. It can also block the path of the intestines, which means the animal can die within 3 to 5 days. If this keeps on happening, then they could become extinct.

However, we can stop this problem by doing the right thing, such as recycling the plastic product. We can customize your plastic bottles to become pots for your plants, playground equipment for you, or a gift for somebody. Instead of using plastic stuff, you can use a reuseable bag, bottle, or more! The government can ban plastic, which can reduce this problem.

In conclusion, plastic is common nowadays. They are harmful and dangerous to humans and animals. If you recycle your plastic items correctly, then you can reduce these environmental problems.

# data[].attributes.body
Nowadays, plastic use has increased steadily because of its conveniece, availability and their low price. Plastic these days are used to replace traditional packaging, and to make bottles and bags. However, these convenient bags and bottles, they have a negative impact on the environment and affects the ecosystem, which leads to biodiversity loss. This essay includes the bad effects that plastic has brought to the Earth, along with some solutions to this statement.

One of the most representative consequences that plastics brings to our life is environmental pollution, especially air and water pollution. When people try to decompose trash, we usually burn it. This may seem very fast, but also very poisonous. Burning plastic can release toxic gases and chemicals, leads to air pollution, which has a great effect to your health and mostly to your heart and lungs. There's another way to decompose plastic, which is simply throwing them into the water, the beaches, etc. Day by day, it will degrade and then releases small particles of it, which will then be mixed into the water that you use daily. It will be more toxic if there is a big quantity of these small particles of these things, washed into your water supply. Another problem is that marine animals may mistake these trashes as their food. For instance, seagulls often mistake these as jellyfish and eat them. This leads to choking and then..dying. In addition, many larger animals have also been found washed up on seashores with tons of plastics in their digestive system. These are all negative impacts that plastic brings to our life. So what should we do to stop it?

To improve and solve these problems, the government and citizens should all take action together. Governments can enforce stricter rules on producing and using plastic, or increase the price of a nylon bag because this will help to reduce the usage of plastic by people. It's because if a plastic bag is expensive, people will then try to find an alternative way to carry things and leave behind nylon bags. Another way is to educate people, to tell them which action is needed or which is not. People should try to avoid plastic, use renewable materials and apply the 3-R method on their daily basis to help improve the situation. Simple actions like using metal straws, water bottles or using fabric, tote bags would be nice.

In conclusion, plastic pollution is a hazardous problem that needs to be solve immediately. Although it can take really long to solve this issue, people should try to take action, join hands together and find solutions. Together, we can make the Earth become a green, better and plastic-pollution-free world.

# data[].attributes.body
Nowadays, plastic is popular and ubiquitous. Plastic use has increased prodigiously because it plays a significant role in our society due to its affordability and convenience. However, plastic negatively impacts our planet and causes many environmental problems. This essay will talk about the damage plastic has done to the Earth and some solutions.

One of the main problems is that when plastic breaks down, it releases tiny particles called microplastic into our water supply. Drinking too much water that contains microplastic can cause health problems like cancer, heart disease,… Moreover, Toxic chemicals such as phthalates and BPA are present in the plastic foods packaging. Plastic food packagings play a crucial role in our daily life. We need them every day, but the hotter the food the more chemicals are released, eating food in plastic packing can lead to an unhealthy body.

Nevertheless, there are a few preventive measures that can solve these problems. To begin with, governments can improve local water supply. In developing countries, people cannot drink tap water because it contains bacteria and deleterious chemicals and they have to drink water bottles. There is a large amount of plastic waste since these bottles are single-use and it contributes to environmental problems. Another solution we can do to lessen the amount of plastic packaging is to use paper-based packaging. This type of packaging is made from renewable sources such as paper fiber and trees. People can stay healthy when eating because these products are safe, they can use them daily for shopping, carrying heavy groceries, as well as packing school lunches or carrying and protecting their takeout food.

In conclusion, plastic packaging has pernicious impacts both on our planet and our health. However, I believe each individual and government can use paper-based packaging instead and improving water sources are two possible solutions to give our planet a better future.

# data[].attributes.body
Nowadays, the use of plastic has dramatically increased and there are adverse and negative impacts on the environment caused by these artificial containers. This essay is to examine what kinds of damages does plastic do to the environment and what are the solutions.

One severe problem is that when plastic degrades, it releases tiny particles which can eventually ends up in the water supply. And these untreated water being disposed into rivers and lakes would destroy the natural habitats of hundreds of species. If the problem continues, it will put various species on the verge of extinction. Research has shown that in recent years, numerous creatures are dying out and some are under threat due to lack of clean water. Not only does plastic do harm to animals but also to humans. Scientists believe that plastic degradation is responsible for some extreme breathing problems since it releases particulate matter. Particulate matter is scientifically proven to have detrimental effects on human's well being. And one major adverse impact of particulate matter is the decrease in lung functions, which may lead to chronic respiratory diseases.

Plastic use has been a serious concern recently, therefore, both the authorities and the people need to take actions to tackle the problem. In order to preserve the environment, government officials should come with a biodiversity conservation plan. In many developed countries, administrations have started to experience sampling methods such as using plastic substitutes in supermarkets to cut down the use of plastic, making programs to raise awareness of environmental issues of citizens, etc. There are various effective and sustainable ways to reduce the threat of the problem for people to do and one of them is to plant more trees. Planting trees has always been a productive and simple measure to follow. It is crucial to plant more trees and it has been proved that people who live in garden cities are prone to live longer and healthier.

In conclusion, there's no doubt that plastic won't do us any good but the other way around. Every individual's contribution is necessary for a clean environment.