Say NO to Plastic Bags

Say NO to Plastic Bags!

We all use plastic bags because we find those durable, multi-purpose and cost-effective. However, most of us are not aware of the perils of indiscriminate use of plastic. Just think how many plastic bags have you used and thrown in last 1 year? It is estimated that all over the world, close to 1 trillion plastic bags are being used every year. But, less than 1% of these plastic bags get recycled. Eventually, about 100,000 tonnes of plastic bags are thrown away every year! Plastic gets dumped in land-fillings - which has more than 20 times more potential to cause Global Warming! Think about our own city-it is called Garden city now but can become garbage city if we do not wake up now! Plastic floats on surface waters; clogs drains. It endangers the life on this planet. It is feared that thousands of marine animals and birds die of plastic suffocation. In India, around 100 cows die each day from eating plastic bags that litter the streets. It blocks underground water channels, which indirectly affects our ground water reserves. Most plastics form non-biodegradable waste. Plastic does not get re-cycled easily in nature and takes anywhere between 1.5 to 100 decades to degrade. As a result, it will take thousands of years to decompose the plastic we have used so far and we continue to add tonnes of it every day! Think what a mess it is going to create few years down the lane…Plastic bags aren’t exactly free. You are paying the cost indirectly. Even if these bags cost us nothing, shouldn’t we be responsible for our environment?

I believe that people will understand the severity and consequences of indiscriminate use of plastic- just that they need to be aware of the facts. When they start thinking about it and choose to resolve the issue, they themselves will come up with solutions and measures to safeguard this wonderful, living planet. This future excites me to take this action today.

Saying NO to plastic bags project is all about stopping indiscriminate use of plastic bags by causing a strong public opinion to reduce, reuse or refuse plastic bags and bring individuals, community, business, government and environmental groups together to refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle plastic bags, by practicing the following principles:

· Buying a reusable natural fabric bag. Bags made from different kinds of fabrics, such as cotton, jute can be used repeatedly and are usually washable.
· Re-using thick, durable plastic bags, as we cannot stop the usage overnight.
· Politely refusing Plastic bags (Polythene Covers) in shops-carry your own cloth bags.
· Bringing awareness among all, that the plastic waste should be segregated at the household level.

This awareness campaign is not at all the first of its kind as many have done it before. I chose to re-initiate it, as there is a lot more to accomplish. Towards this objective, we started with a modest beginning with an appeal to the people in our neighbourhood-Sanjaynagar. We also contacted a few NGOs and working out a possibility of providing cost-effective cloth-bags as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic bags. Got a couple of hundred of these bags made and distributed amongst my neighbours, friends and colleagues at work. Besides serving for this cause, getting the cloth bags made can also create an opportunity to earn revenue for the needy sections of our society. I am not exaggerating, but hundreds of people I know have already started practicing these principles. They are using cloth bags most of the times whenever they go to buy grocery, vegetables and milk. And I am not alone now! Several like-minded people have taken up the cause as their own and are spreading the word. This is very encouraging! We also distributed 10,000 handouts in Sanjaynagar along with a friend of mine, Mr. P. Mahesh. I also approached a few schools and will reach the students in due course of time through presentations in these schools.

There is a lot more to do! We need to reach masses. Besides creating awareness in the consumer community, we need to enroll shopkeepers, government and regulatory authorities to cause the radical decline in the usage of plastic bags. To reach the community more effectively, we need to spread awareness amongst teachers and school children. We also need to make the supply of the cloth bags self-sustainable. There are several unanswered questions about providing a viable alternative to plastic and its disposal. But I do believe that if the intention is right and we apply our mind, the problem can be resolved. So, instead of being cynical and resigned about this problem, lets do our little bit by saying NO to plastic!

Contact: Your support & valuable suggestions are highly appreciated. I can be reached at:
☎ +919880296654 and /or * rajendra.rane@gmail.com