It was with a great sense of concern that Defence Wives Welfare Association forwarded a letter last week, seeking a greater awareness and sensitivity towards cleanliness of public areas and care for the environment amongst everyone.
We are a fortunate few who live here today in Port Blair; the Andaman Islands are truly a jewel in India’s beautiful crown. So much diversity exists in these islands- rainforests, coral reefs, pure white beaches and India’s only volcano as well as several species of birds and plants found nowhere else in the world. It is not just biological and geographic diversity that does us proud, but also cultural diversity, the Andaman Islands are the melting-pot of India where people from different cultures and beliefs and even different races coexist in perfect harmony.
These beautiful islands are getting ruined by filth and squalor! We cannot pass this unique gift on to our children sullied and soiled; we cannot devalue this asset. It is our duty to care for these islands just as it is our privilege to live here.
It is unfortunate that most of us tend to take such beauty for granted, we assume that something so perfect will, somehow, remain always so. But that is never the case, it takes great care to maintain a balance in nature, it takes great sensitivity to preserve the environment. This feeling of care and sensitivity is not lacking in us as individuals, cultural harmony and peace in these islands stand testimony to that! What is lacking is the will to act!
Many of us do not know where to start, how to make a change, what steps to take. We assume that we are alone in caring or worrying about the environment, we believe that we, as individuals cannot make a difference, and so we fail to act.
Many of us do not know where to start, how to make a change, what steps to take. We assume that we are alone in caring or worrying about the environment, we believe that we, as individuals cannot make a difference, and so we fail to act.
The truth is that we can make a difference; each and every single one of us can impact the environment that surrounds us, for better or for worse. We are all single drops that make up an ocean- which can either be muddied waters or clear blue seas, depending on what we, as single drops, carry with us.
There are several changes that we, as individuals, can make in our lives. Changes that will, in the end, improve the way we actually live our lives today while guaranteeing a better environment for future generations.
One of the biggest changes we can make is just saying ‘no’ to plastic carry bags. It will make an immediate positive impact on the environment the moment we clear up the remains of plastic that litter these islands, while refusing to accept any more plastic carry bags in the future.
We all know that plastic is bad for the environment, it does not degrade back into the soil as natural products do, it produces some of the deadliest toxins known to man if burned or exposed to the elements, it smothers plants, chokes fish and other marine life and most noticeable of all, it lies windblown everywhere, frayed and ugly, an eyesore in such beautiful surroundings!
It is not hard to refuse plastic, many parts of mainland India have successfully banned plastic carry bags- even top tourist destinations like Ooty, in Tamil Nadu, have a strict ban on plastic carry bags and the people there respect that.
If they can do it so can we!
As individuals, here are just five changes that we can make to our day-to-day habits, if we all follow these basic guidelines then yes, we can individually count and make a difference. Let us resolve to make a change. Let us resolve to move ahead into a beautiful, litter-free, clean future for these stunning islands.
1. Let us resolve to no longer supply or demand plastic carry bags, let us use paper bags or cloth bags or even plain newspaper to wrap things in.
2. Let us resolve that we will dispose of our rubbish in garbage bins. Every piece of paper thrown on the street, every toffee wrapper carelessly thrown from a car, every scrap thrown into a gutter is increasing the burden of garbage in our surroundings.
3. Let us resolve that we will not spit or urinate in public places. It is a filthy habit that not only spreads disease but is also embarrassing to our own selves.
4. Let us resolve to leave an area cleaner than when we arrived. If you go to the beach, dispose of plastics in garbage cans, or bring your trash home. If you see plastics on the beach, pick it up and dispose of it properly.
5. Let us resolve to stand together as a community and no longer tolerate filth and littering in our surroundings.
6. Let us resolve to educate our children with these habits.
2. Let us resolve that we will dispose of our rubbish in garbage bins. Every piece of paper thrown on the street, every toffee wrapper carelessly thrown from a car, every scrap thrown into a gutter is increasing the burden of garbage in our surroundings.
3. Let us resolve that we will not spit or urinate in public places. It is a filthy habit that not only spreads disease but is also embarrassing to our own selves.
4. Let us resolve to leave an area cleaner than when we arrived. If you go to the beach, dispose of plastics in garbage cans, or bring your trash home. If you see plastics on the beach, pick it up and dispose of it properly.
5. Let us resolve to stand together as a community and no longer tolerate filth and littering in our surroundings.
6. Let us resolve to educate our children with these habits.
Starting with our first resolution, let us at once stop using plastic carry-bags. Yes, it may be a habit that is a little difficult to get used to in the beginning, but it is a habit that will save generations ahead of us the scourge of plastic litter. Once in the environment, it takes months to hundreds of years for plastic bags to breakdown. As they decompose, their toxins seep into the soil, lakes, rivers, and the oceans. The next time you go shopping and carry home things in a plastic carry-bag, think: you are contributing your share to a deadly pollution whose ill-effects are irreversible and capable of reaching out to numerous generations to come.
Here are some of the common reasons we accept plastics, and along with these reasons, we have presented some facts, suggestions and alternatives-
1. When vegetable shopping we tend to ask for separate plastic carry-bags for each vegetable, to make it easier to separate the vegetables at home. The alternative is to ask the vendor to wrap the vegetables separately in newspaper or just carry with you the reusable net-bags that you normally store your vegetables in. (toxins from plastic spread into food items if stored in plastic)
2. Plastic cups for coffee and beverages are an unbreakable and convenient option, but we must take care that they should be reused as much as possible. Avoid the use of plastic coated disposable paper plates and avoid plastic spoons.
3. When we shop in a convenience store, the shopkeeper automatically gives us a plastic carry bag on purchase of any item, it could be a loaf of bread or a packet of biscuits, we always get a plastic carry-bag to take it home in. We must make a habit of being aware of this; most often we are so preoccupied that we carry out the plastic carry-bag without noticing that we do not really need it! The best thing to do is return the plastic carry-bag to the shopkeeper and carry the item by hand.
4. If you leave your home without a shopping-bag, as a rule, do not accept any plastic carry-bags for items that are already packaged. It may be a one time mistake that you forgot your shopping bag and so had to accept a plastic carry-bag for a vegetable, but packaged items need no such protection. Packaged items are all items that are not sold loose.
5. If you notice that you have accumulated unnecessary plastic in your home (plastic carry-bags, plastic containers that are no longer useful, other miscellaneous plastic items), please donate the same to a plastic recycling plant instead of throwing them out.
6. Reuse you existing plastic bags for garbage bags instead of buying new bags.
If we want better, cleaner surroundings to live in, it is up to us as individuals to maintain cleanliness. If we want a healthier environment for our children, it is up to us as individuals to protect the environment. Let us join together and make a positive change!
2. Plastic cups for coffee and beverages are an unbreakable and convenient option, but we must take care that they should be reused as much as possible. Avoid the use of plastic coated disposable paper plates and avoid plastic spoons.
3. When we shop in a convenience store, the shopkeeper automatically gives us a plastic carry bag on purchase of any item, it could be a loaf of bread or a packet of biscuits, we always get a plastic carry-bag to take it home in. We must make a habit of being aware of this; most often we are so preoccupied that we carry out the plastic carry-bag without noticing that we do not really need it! The best thing to do is return the plastic carry-bag to the shopkeeper and carry the item by hand.
4. If you leave your home without a shopping-bag, as a rule, do not accept any plastic carry-bags for items that are already packaged. It may be a one time mistake that you forgot your shopping bag and so had to accept a plastic carry-bag for a vegetable, but packaged items need no such protection. Packaged items are all items that are not sold loose.
5. If you notice that you have accumulated unnecessary plastic in your home (plastic carry-bags, plastic containers that are no longer useful, other miscellaneous plastic items), please donate the same to a plastic recycling plant instead of throwing them out.
6. Reuse you existing plastic bags for garbage bags instead of buying new bags.
If we want better, cleaner surroundings to live in, it is up to us as individuals to maintain cleanliness. If we want a healthier environment for our children, it is up to us as individuals to protect the environment. Let us join together and make a positive change!