PLASTIC FREE NATION - AS THE PM URGES US TO BE!

Human beings are in a death dealing relationship with Mother Earth. We are surrounded by a lethal combination of toxicity and poisonousness created by us. It is the plight of global concern. 

Plastic! You might be intrigued to come to this fact - the main contribution to the Plastic Pollution is the everyday trash produced by household. Disposable water bottles, Milk cartons with plastic lining, vegetable vendors providing poly bags - all the nits and grits of our everyday products have contributed to the callousness of this situation. 

Here is a little throwback moment from 7th or 8th standard - Plastic contains toxic pollutants. It can dangerously damage the environment. It takes thousands of years for the plastic to break down which is more than our average age of surviving, plastic is heinous and everlasting. But we seemed to have not paid enough attention in the classroom since we do not know the impact of what is damaging us today. 

The next point might come to each one of us a shock.

ACT BANNED PLASTIC BAGS ON 1ST NOVEMBER 2011. BANGLADESH WAS THE FIRST COUNTRY TO BAN PLASTIC IN 2002 FOLLOWED BY CHINA, ISRAEL, SOUTH AFRICA ETC.

Unfortunately, India and the citizens of India were not close to understanding the environmentally unfriendly product. Banning will be insignificant if we as human beings and consumers of plastic products will fail to understand the consequences of damaging our environment.

Facts about Plastic Use In India-

1) India produces 1500 trucks of plastic each day, which is 24,590 tonnes of plastics and very scary. 

2) India recycles it’s plastic more and better than US, but we still have a long way to go.

3) Union Minister Harsh Vardhan launched a “Plastic Waste Free India” Anthem to make plastic free India by 2020 in seven different languages.

Talking about the latest statistics where plastic can be portrayed as Satan. We have landed ourselves in a deadly situation. Plastic is venomous and our leaders have finally started to pay their share of attention towards the obscurity of this situation. 

Quoting PM Narendra Modi after his latest speech on 15th August 2019 - “ On 2nd October 2019, Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary - A new revolution is being launched make India a  Plastic free Nation.”

PM Narendra Modi began by sharing his vision of making India “PLASTIC FREE”. He went on to address the crowd about the indiscriminate usage of plastic and the toxicity it creates. He requested the citizens of India to eliminate the single use plastic. He brought into the limelight the substitutes - JUTE and CLOTH BAGS he said must be encouraged instead of plastic bags. 

He made a sincere appeal to the corporate sector to find out ways to cut the clatter. Startups, tech champions and even entrepreneurs were mentioned to look out methods to recycle plastic waste. He informed the public about the Pan India Initiatives that are going to be launched to cater plastic production including CLEAN UP DRIVES OF PUBLIC SPACES, NATIONAL RESERVES, FORESTS AND BEACHES. 

Now hear us out Consumers - while Destroying it was into your hands, SO IS SAVING! It falls upon our shoulders to turn the tables upside down. We are now completely aware of the plastic monster we have drawn upon ourselves. 

Awareness and implementation are the keys to open the door of A PLASTIC FREE NATION! Implement it by yourselves and make sure you spread awareness. 

Let this year year, month, day, date, minute, second, and even your breath count. Make sure you are not another trespasser to this cause, make sure you do your bit before the plastic pollutes you.

- Manpreet Walia