Going Plastic-Free Isn’t Easy But Its Crucial

Latest Articles & Updates 19 Jul, 18 Gnawmadic

I was about to head out for my regular grocery shopping and I took out my cloth-bag with ‘I Love Pune’ printed on it. I don’t know why I have it; I haven’t even been to Pune. I stuffed a few already existing plastic bags in it, I have some 15-20 of them in the kitchen that I have preserved in the last 3-4 months. I reach the market. My first stop: Mother Dairy Booth; I need to buy curd for my cat. I ask for a packet, what is it made of? Nothing but plastic. However, Mother Dairy follows a no plastic bag policy, so you have to carry your own. One of my plastic bags comes in handy. Why can’t I put it directly in the bag? ‘Cos they took the curd out of the freezer and my cloth bag would start dripping.

Next stop: A bakery for some freshly-baked bread. I proudly ask the guy to not put it in a plastic bag. But wait; isn’t the loaf already wrapped in plastic?

Stop number 3: I go to the meat shop to buy sausages and kebabs. I almost ask the guy to not put it in a plastic bag but how else would i carry my purchases? No, they don’t have any paper bags and again, since the products are frozen, paper packets won’t be able to hold them for long.

Stop 4: I go to the sweet shop to buy some rasgullas. I have two choices in front of me; a set of ten that’s pre-packed in a plastic container or buy a few pieces that they would pack in a small plastic packet. I choose the latter. I glance at the fridge that has colorful soft-drink bottles, I have an urge to reach a 500ml of Limca but I stop. Sipping from a glass bottle as a kid was so much fun. But hey, it had to be had with a plastic straw, for hygiene’s sake

Last stop: I go to the medical store to buy some digene syrup, toilet-cleaner, hand sanitiser and liquid soap. Realisation hits me; all these items are pre-packed in single-use plastic containers. I bleakly ask the chemist to skip putting them in a plastic bag and throw them in my cloth bag instead.

I come home and spread out all that I have shopped, on the table. A regular visit to the local market has added a lot to my plastic collection. And wait, I totally forgot to mention, I had bought six eggs too, the shopkeeper had packed them in a polythene even before I could react. And since I stuffed the toilet cleaner bottle over them, two of them had cracked.

PS: I do not support the use of plastic (as a rule, I would never get plastic surgery done on my face) but I am making an effort to not use plastic. At least, I am becoming more and more cautious about it. Some things that I am consciously trying to give up on are single-use plastic cutlery, the only way is to carry your own set with you at all times. I am not drinking coconut water on the road-side ‘cos sipping on it with my jaw open (instead of a plastic straw) would be quite a hideous sight. Oh, should I keep a metal straw as well in my bag then? Maybe yes.
I am carrying my own water bottle every time I step out and not buying those single-use plastic bottles packed with all the minerals from the mountains. I am okay to lose out on some precious ingredients and stick to filtered water. Thirdly, I am trying to re-use the few plastic bags over and over again so that they aren’t single-use plastic. Next up maybe, I would move on to a wooden toothbrush and invest in an I Love Delhi cloth-bag for fruits and veggies. Do share your take on how you have reduced plastic usage in your daily life.

If you care about the environment enough and want to switch to eco-friendly products, head to www.thehappyturtle.in and buy yourself one of their kits. I like the Eco-Warrier Pack; it has a cloth-bag, wooden cutlery set, bamboo toothbrush, 4 copper straws and a straw cleaner. Perfect for regular use and especially when you are traveling. You could use my code ‘GNAWMADIC’ to get a 5% discount. The code is valid till 16^th August 2018. I hope our little efforts go a long way in saving the planet we call home.

Note: This is NOT a sponsored post or a collaboration with any brand. I am promoting The Happy Turtle and their products since they are putting in great efforts to reduce plastic usage.