The use of plastic in our lives has increased tremendously because of its convenience in daily life. But unlike wood, paper and other substances, plastic does not decompose with time. It may change its shape but it cannot change its composition. The world's annual consumption of plastic material has increased so much over the years that the disposal of used plastic has become one of the major problems of humanity today. The disposal of its most prevalent form, the plastic bag, is not easy because it is biologically non-degradable and can take a long time, as much as a 100 years to breakdown. Plastic bags clog roadside drains, which can cause flooding of streets during heavy rainfalls. They are also hazardous to wildlife as well as aquatic life. In order to deal with this problem we can restrict our use of plastic bags or use a more expensive alternative, the paper bags. Paper bags are easy to decompose and recycle besides being environmentally friendly. By restricting ourselves as individuals we can save not only ourselves but also our society from hazardous effects of the plastic bags. -AYESHA HANIF, Rawalpindi, via e-mail, May 26.