Polythene is a gift of science that has got immense popularity in present time. But now the excessive use of polybags has become a matter of concern for us. Due to its non-porous and non-biodegradable nature, polybag harms us a lot in many ways. It also contains toxic chemicals. Thus, they choke the soil and suffocate the roots of plants. During the rainy season, it may block the drains and that cause artificial flood. Thus the time has arrived to Say no to Polybags. To make students and people aware of the bad effect of polythene bags on environment, human beings and animals, the CSR Committee of Kamal Institute of Higher Education and Advance Technology initiated Say No to Polythene Bag campaign under Swachchta Pakhwada 2019 on 3rd September 2019 (Tuesday).
The students and teachers of the institute visited various localities in Delhi and spread the awareness about hazardous impact of plastic bags. The students made the paper bags and distributed to the shopkeepers and requested them to avoid the plastic bags, the team addressed a lot of people and spread the message to the masses. Posters on plastic ban were also made by students and spread around the streets of Delhi. The team of students and teachers talked to the people and advised various ways to avoid the use of plastic bags, which were:
• Use a reusable produce bag. A single plastic bag can take 1,000 years to degrade. Purchase or make your own bag made of cloth and be sure to wash them often!
• Ask your local grocer to take your plastic containers (for berries, tomatoes, etc.) back. If you shop at a farmers market they can refill it for you.
• Stop buying bottled water, unless there’s some kind of contamination crisis, plastic water bottles are an easy target for reducing waste. Instead, keep a refillable bottle handy.
• Say no to straws.
• Switch from disposable diapers to cloth.
• Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
Then the team administered the oath to the people that they would not use poly-bags. People who go to work, people who do not go to work, people who are literate, people who are illiterate, all can come together and do this. The person who sells vegetable, the person who sells branded clothes, everyone can contribute and become a bigger person. We all – the rich, the poor, the careful and the not so careful, we all live in the same environment and we all will have to come together to save this planet. And for once let’s not talk about the country but about the world.
Students took out a rally carrying posters with various slogans in the city. There was enthusiasm among them and the people of the city. We know the initiative will not end the problem in a single day but the end of the problem will begin. Overall, it seemed to be a very successful campaign.