Plastic Free July: The overlooked plastics in your life and how to go green

Plastic Free July Have you ever encountered a landfill or a dumping ground and realised the magnitude of plastic waste collectively generated dailyNow think of a few activities that you undertake almost every day in your life ndash brushing cooking or ordering food buying groceries completing your skincare routine etc Have you ever reflected on the amount of plastic you come in contact with or dispose of while carrying out these daytoday activities atOptions key d0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7 format iframe height 90 width 728 params India produces 26000 tonnes of plastic every day according to the National Circular Economy Roadmap for Reducing Plastic Waste in India 2023 by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation While it may not be possible to curb plastic production entirely managing its consumption and disposal can bring significant differences With growing consciousness about the harms of singleuse plastic items like plastic bags and containers have often come under scrutiny However they are just the tip of the iceberg Plastic has seamlessly made its way into our lives without us realising itTo explore the extent of the plastic we consume and the plastic waste we generate middaycom spoke to ecochampions who have succeeded in following a lowwaste lifestyle and are helping others do the sameWhy plastic waste management mattersMost of the plastic waste we generate if not sent for recycling ends up in a landfill ldquoAnaerobic conditions are generated in the waste left to decompose after a while due to lack of oxygen This leads to the production of methane and other harmful gases In extreme cases this has caused landfill fires as well Deonar landfill in Mumbai has seen such fires Hence itrsquos extremely important to regulate wasterdquo says Pooja Domadia an ecoentrepreneur and sustainability practitionerApart from environmental impact landfills also have social implications Sameera Satija State President of WICCI Bioenzyme Council Haryana and a zerowaste practitioner elaborates ldquoIn 2016 when I was working with a plantation group I came across a landfill near our project site Before that I never realised where the waste we produce was going It was out of sight out of mind The stories of people living around that landfill were horrific They were facing medical complications because of groundwater contamination And thats when I started learning about waste management and gradually converted my home to a zerowaste home because our waste shouldnrsquot cause problems for othersrdquoWhile people are largely aware of the consequences of plastic waste they struggle to implement changes partly due to lack of knowledge and partly due to perceived lack of alternativesStart with the basicsAdopting a zerowaste or lowwaste lifestyle may seem daunting However according to the ones who have taken the plunge it is all about the small steps ldquoA zerowaste lifestyle doesnt mean you wont generate any waste The basic objective always is to keep reducing waste Meanwhile whatever waste we do produce should be properly segregated and scientifically managed biodegradable waste should be composted and plastic waste should go for recycling accordingly So its not really zerowaste but zero waste going into the landfillrdquo believes SatijaldquoIf you want to start living a lowwaste lifestyle just pause and think about what your grandparents did in their time That to me has answered a lot of questionsrdquo suggests DomadiaHere are some basic steps you can follow to generate less plastic wasteAudit and segregateThe first step towards change is realising something needs to change For that audit the things coming into your house ldquoAnalyse what is coming in plastic packaging and how many of those you can get without plastic packaging also Then segregate the plastic that can be recycled and send it for recyclingrdquo advises Mansi Shah an ecoentrepreneur and lowwaste lifestyle practitionerIt is also important to take account of plastic items we use without realising they are plastic ldquoNonwoven cloth bags nail polish and paper cups are all items that contain plastic and we donrsquot realise the samerdquo inform Domadia and Shah who also impart their sustainability learnings through Hum Prithvi Se WorkshopsReduce reuse and replaceLess the consumption less the waste generation on an individual level ldquoSuppose you want to buy coffee and therersquos no alternative but to get it in a plastic glass One thing that you can do is not take the straw and the lid If you use only 1 of the 3 items you have reduced your plastic waste by around 6037 immediatelyrdquo says SatijaInstead of depending on plastic opt for alternatives that are less harmful and can be reused ldquoAvoid disposable items like crockery cutlery bottled water etc These are all singleuse plastics that will go into the landfill after only one use Instead carry your bottle cloth bag or napkin with you everywhererdquo suggests Sonika Bhasin a sustainable lifestyle and sustainable parenting practitioner ldquoWhile grocery shopping try to opt for packagefree items For example you will easily find dal atta rice etc without plastic packaging In Mumbai there are a lot of zerowaste stores But in a regular grocery store also there is a lot of packagefree stuff so you can carry that in your bags and containersrdquo she addsHowever following sustainable practices should not lead to more waste creation ldquoJust because we are on a path towards sustainability doesnrsquot mean we start throwing out all plastic items For example plastic containers can be reused to store nonedible items because throwing them away will only add more waste to the landfill So use them till they lastrdquo points out ShahAlternatives to everyday plastic itemsHere are some plastic items that are generally used in everyday life without realising and their less harmful alternatives for the same as suggested by the ecochampions we spoke to1 Plastic crockery and cutleryStainless steel utensils are a good alternative to plastic2 Plastic toothbrushOne can use a bamboo toothbrush or go back to the basics and use a datun Alternatively there are toothpaste tablets that eliminate the need for a brush and toothpaste3 PenOpt for a reusable ink pen Although it is difficult to eliminate plastic pens reusing them reduces waste4 Milk packetsSome brands deliver milk in sustainable packaging but these might be expensive In this situation plastic milk packets should be washed and recycled Therersquos also an option to get milk directly from the stable which eliminates packagingldquoWe are trying to reduce our milk consumption since the dairy industry poses another problem altogetherrdquo posits Bhasin5 Cosmetics and toiletriesThese come in plastic bottles and tubes One can opt for organic soap bars some of which are just wrapped in a paper sheet or use homemade products6 Sanitary PadsOne can opt for a reusable cloth pad period panties or menstrual cupsConsult an expert before using menstrual products7 BalloonsChoose reusable or upcycled decorationsMumbai monsoon Surge in autoimmune diseases in women doctors advise caution and suggest dietary tips