Purging plastics

The thing with plastic bags is that they stay around forever. By forever, we mean, forever. Long after you, your children and your grand children are gone, plastic bags used by you will still be around. And they will choke up the planet, just as they are choking cows on the streets of Delhi, and marine life everywhere.

Recycling them is an option, but the recycling process causes a lot of pollution so the best thing to do is to reduce and re-use.

Reduce the bags you bring into your home.

While we can’t escape plastic packaging for off the shelf products yet, several cities have banned the use of plastic bags so that helps. However, plastic bags still manage to sneak into our homes from different places. The way out of this, is to consciously opt for other options. Cloth, jute, paper … these are all eco-friendly, reusable options that make a lot more sense.

But if you’re like most people, despite your best intentions, 8 times out of 10 you will find yourself without a reusable bag.

We’ve put together five quick tips for how you can ensure that you always have a bag at hand when you need it!

• Re-use the plastic you already have: Remember that if you’re re-using, then plastic is just as good. It’s lying around anyway, and its better put to use. Plastic bags are very easy to scrunch up, and hide in little nooks and crannies of your hand-bag, so you can always find one when you need it. Stop what you’re doing and go and stuff some plastic bags in every one of your handbags right away!
• Invest in a jute bag to carry your lunch: These are good looking, inexpensive, easy to find, well structured, sturdy and easy to maintain (clean). Buy two of these, and hang them up n your kitchen.
• Shop at eco-bazaars: You’ll find plenty of interesting material options, sizes and designs at the many fleas and bazaars that take place across cities, and the cool seasons particularly in Dehli and NCR. Stock them up. Put them in areas and places where you are most likely to need them. In your cars, near your doorways, in the kitchen.
• Find other uses for plastic bags: Here are 10 interesting ways you can use plastic pages instead of just throwing them away.
• Make a no plastic rule for your house: And let everyone know. Reward them with a kind word if that’s all, for remembering to use alternatives, and if you have kids at home, tell them to police you. They will love reminding you whenever they can that you’re doing the wrong thing!

Stay mindful, and you’ll be surprised at how much you can do!

Also Read: Lifecycle of a Plastic Bottle