PLASTIC BAN: NEED OF THE HOUR

Seeing this recent image of a whale washed ashore and obviously very dead, was a sight. But what was worst was that its mouth was open and inside it were dumps of plastic , be it bottles, carry bags, glasses, wrappers etc.  India's second most populous state, Maharashtra has become the 18th state in the country to ban plastic after the government issued the Maharashtra Plastic and Thermocol Products (Manufacture, Usage, Sale, Transport, Handling and Storage) Notification, 2018 on March 23.
YAY! Kudos to Mr. Devendra Fadnavis, CM of Maharashtra to take this tough decision at this timely hour.
Am sure there will be many detractors and critics, who will try to retract the ban, as they might lose the profits they were making. But me as an individual am welcoming the ban with open arms. Not that I am any social worker or miss perfect, but as a concerned citizen, who also happens to be a mother, want my children to enjoy the bliss and bountiful nature which we did . An earth without pollution, breathing issues, lifestyle problems...the list is endless. This Plastic ban is just a small step towards it. I know it’s not going to be easy as we all are so used to the convenience of the polythene world, but we can definitely make a start. Here are a few things which I am going to implement at my level :-
1) Always carry a reusable, eco friendly cloth or jute bag on you. Keep it in your car, you’re travelling Bag, you’re 2 wheeler or your regular bag which is used for groceries and errands.
 2) Carry Water with u always. For Office or for kids, try using stainless steel/copper bottles. Stop buying bottled water.
3) If you must buy plastic, make sure it's reusable/bio degradable.
4) Snap top plastic containers are reusable for years if taken care of, both in the home and for takeout lunches. A single one litre rectangular container can be used hundreds of times, using far less plastic than zipper bags and for a lot less.
 5) Say no to straws/glasses/plastic cutlery, whether for home use or when you’re ordering a drink at a bar or restaurant. Plastic straws, spoons, forks, plates etc are often a single-use item. There is now an increased awareness and many people have switched to bio degradable crockery and cutlery for outings or functions, where the items are made from leaves.
 6)  Switch from disposable diapers to cloth as you know how many diapers can end up in the trash each day.
 7) We as women, can cut our sanitary waste by switching to Menstrual Cups or reusable pads.
 The main worry I feel is milk bags...how can we have an alternative to it, especially it being a fragile and short shelved item along with daily consumption necessity. Even take a ways and food storage is mostly done in plastic containers..Alternatives for the same need to be worked on fast.
Hmmm...Sounds difficult even for me, but at least I will give it my best shot.
Here’s to working for a Cleaner, Healthier and Pollution Free India!

Jai Hind!