My journey to a plastic-free life

While growing up, I would in pure honesty, be really infuriated with the fact that every subject in my school had a chapter on the environment. By the time secondary school ended, I was confident that I had learned enough about the environment and climate change and there was no need for me to know any more.

In college, the classes on environmental studies would always be that one class we could afford to bunk. We thought we had learned enough about pollution already.

But clearly, that wasn’t true.

As I started approaching my final year in under graduation, I started paying more attention to news articles informing us about plastic pollution and how our mass consumption of plastic is directly harming marine life. There was so much data proving the harm we caused and are still causing that it overwhelmed me, not with joy, neither with sadness; but sheer disappointment.

I started contemplating my lifestyle only to realize that all this while I had been oblivious to how much trouble these little forms of plastic was causing the environment.

Refusing plastic bags was a habit inculcated in me by my parents but to know that plastic pollution is larger than just curbing plastic bags was an eye-opener.

I think I was no longer oblivious and so I did not want to remain ignorant. So I started looking up content on the web on how to minimize plastic consumption and do my bit in society. After a lot of google searches, I realized that there were so many ways through which plastic was entering my house and there are so many ways that it can leave and be replaced.

Having gained this knowledge about plastic pollution, there was definitely a moment of epiphany. But I did not want it to remain just a moment. So I started adding up my expenses and made a list of products that I needed to replace the plastic forms of the same.

These included bamboo toothbrushes, more cotton bags, recycled paper pens or bamboo pens, a bamboo or copper straw, a steel tumbler for my days of coffee-on-the-go- please ( which are a lot!) and menstrual cups.

I was really surprised at how much plastic pollution was being caused by sanitary napkins! A product used for hygiene for a process so natural is actually harming the environment.

So the shift began to happen. Yes, it did take some extra effort at first but if a change in habit can bring some change in the environment then I feel it’s worth it!

Such a shift in lifestyle can be irritable at first, but it is one that will allow you to live with your own conscience.

All the eco-friendly products that replaced my plastic products are equally easy to use, more durable and if seen from a long term perspective, then much cheaper!

It’s really just about being conscious of where you may consume plastic, in which form and what alternatives do you have. So it’s best to be prepared and carry your suited alternatives with you all the time. There is no more time left for us to take chances. Right?

The next set of products on my list include a cutlery pouch with an eco-friendly and reusable spoon, fork and knife, and steel or copper water bottles ( yes, plastic bottles are tough to get rid of), and eco-friendly journals ( because I don’t want to be writing with a heavy heart!).

As I learn more and more about plastic pollution, I am sure the list will add more members but till then, I am trying to become more comfortable with the change I have invited in my living space.

Remember how Bollywood taught us that yeh duniya pital ki? Let us work towards maintaining that!

Let’s keep the turtle happy,guys.

About the Author:

A Political Science graduate at war with sexism around and procrastination within. I can be found casually reading Simone De Beauvoir and Nivedita Menon. In a patriarchal world, I don’t wish to be ideal.
You can find me in your nearest book/ journal store.