Educating Bangalore Shopkeepers On Plastic Pollution By Earth5R

Did you know that 1 million sea birds and 100,000 marine animals get killed because of plastic pollution in oceans every year? Plastic is one of the most toxic materials on earth presently.

The fact is startling enough to push us to act, but when are we going to change this? It is not only our duty but a responsibility to take care of Mother Earth, which has wrapped us with life. And like charity, change begins at home as well.

Motivated to create an impact, Ayesha Mehrotra of Earth5R Bangalore decided to promote the reduction in the use of plastic in nearby shops and encourage cleanliness of surroundings. On the 13th of September 2015,  she visited shops on the streets of Thubrahalli in Whitefield, at around 11 a.m. She met the coconut seller who complained about authorities (BBMP) visiting to collect garbage just once in 5 days.

Ayesha seems determined to contact authorities on the same issue raised. She also gave the coconut vendor a carton to segregate waste and educated him on the importance of waste disposal. The coconut seller moved by the awareness ensured to dispose off straws and other waste materials carefully. 

She then visited 5 different types of shops – a bakery, an eatery, and 3 goods’ shops. To each of them, she explained the importance of using paper bags instead of plastic. Three of the 5 shops obliged to do the same and eliminate the use of plastic carry bags. They also pledged to replace plastic with cloth bags for heavy items like rice and flour.

The other two shops were encouraged to learn how to make paper bags by themselves and make sure they did not harm the environment with the use of plastic. We all need to make a sincere change and limit polluting the environment in every way we can.

If not you, then who? Stand up for change and BE THE CHANGE!

Reported by Ayesha Mehrotra. Edited by Pragya Lodha and Vandita Morarka