They are bad, destructive, non-biodegradable and well, just not cool! Plastic bags are to the environment what a frenemy is to you. It may look quite useful, but with time it will only harm you and make bad things happen to you, they are vindictive. Plastic bags, because of their non-biodegradable nature, have already cost us a lot – water logging during the rains, bad crops because of plastic in the soil, harms aquatic life if thrown in water and also reduces the production of coal and petroleum because it doesn’t break down.

The environment needs natural space just like us to work properly, because of the so called development and modernization, it is already on the verge of losing its balance. There are not enough trees, villages are being transformed into cities, the population has increased, pollution knows no bounds and because of this sooner or later we will have to change our ways of living. The sooner we do it, the better it will be for us. For the environment to work properly and stay in balance, one thing that could help us is to not pollute it and today, the number one pollutant is plastic. Plastic from bottles, shopping bags, wrappers and in lots of other forms.

Why is it bad and what do we want

It is bad because it is not a natural product, it is bad because it is non-biodegradable, it is bad because even when it becomes waste, it does not break down under high pressure and heat unlike the other waste materials. It cannot be destroyed, it can only be recycled and used for longer. And using plastic for a really long time is unhealthy as it attracts bacteria and can make people sick.

We want to tell the world that banning plastic is not a big deal, that life is not dependent on such a small thing. We want to make the rest of the country like Himachal Pradesh which is probably the only state which has successfully discontinued using plastic bags. And with so many substitutes already present in the market, why go behind a stupid thing like plastic anyway? Also, not using plastic bags will go well for your pocket also. Many shopping outlets have started charging you for that extra poly bag, why waste even a buck on something that is not good?

How can it be done?

The problem here is that the government has already tried telling people that the use of plastic should be discontinued, which is why you have to pay to get a plastic bag. The work here needs to be done by the people of the country. Start carrying your own bag. How difficult can it be to just carry your own jute bag when you go out shopping? Why can’t you be a little more careful?

We are not asking for protests and rallies, we are just asking you to be a little more conscious about your actions. Shopkeepers could also keep jute bags instead of plastic bags. A collective action of the sellers and the buyers can help the environment in sustaining its balance. For this little deed of help you do today, you will be able to breathe and live in a healthy environment for almost a decade longer.

We need support

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 it from going to the dogs.

And for once, I am not talking only about our country, I am talking about the world. If you are someone who gets fascinated by the bigger picture, here it is – you need to stop using plastic because if you don’t, 10-100 years down the lane, the planet will not have any natural resources, the roads will be clogged with shit and the plants will be struggling with plastic to find a way into the soil. And if you stop using plastic, eventually a day will come when 100 percent of people will be using a substitute for plastic and the world will still have some hope to cling on to. I am not saying the problem will end, but the end of the problem will begin!