Mumbai: ‘Go green this Diwali’ seems to be the moto in 2018. While the Supreme Court on October 23 only allowed firecrackers that emit less pollution to be used this Diwali, Union Environment Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan rolled out the Harit Diwali-Swasth Diwali, which involves school children taking a pledge to minimise bursting of crackers and discouraging the same in their neighbourhood. Along with the severe problem of air pollution, the issue of plastic menace also comes in the way of a ‘green’ Diwali. Addressing the silent issue of plastic pollution, actor Juhi Chawla has started an initiative called #MeriPlasticFreeDiwali on social media.
Since exchange of sweets and gifts is a tradition during Diwali, people often end up using tonnes of plastic for packaging. Actor Juhi Chawla has decided to do away with plastic packaging and urged everyone to opt for eco-friendly packaging that is harmless to the environment. People who are willing to make the green switch can upload their pictures and the best ones will be shared by the actor on her Twitter.
I’m opting for eco-friendly packaging this Diwali. I pledge to look out for biodegradable alternatives for plastic materials. I urge you to join me. I’m excited to see your plastic free packaging ideas. Upload a picture with #MeriPlasticFreeDiwali and I’ll share my favorite ones, she said in a tweet.
I'm opting for eco-friendly packaging this Diwali. I pledge to look out for biodegradable alternatives for plastic materials. I urge you to join me. I'm excited to see your plastic free packaging ideas. Upload a picture with #MeriPlasticFreeDiwali & I'll share my favorite ones!???? pic.twitter.com/Nth22RvZB9
— Juhi Chawla (@iam_juhi) October 23, 2018
The actor has also uploaded a video in which she is making an appeal to celebrate Diwali with love for ‘our family and environment.’ In the video, she has also listed out plastic alternatives like cloth and paper that one can be used.
Lauding Juhi Chawla’s initiative of celebrating a plastic-free Diwali and extending her support, United Nations Goodwill Ambassador Dia Mirza shared the contest on her timeline.
“Don’t you just love this #MeriPlasticFreeDiwali!?! Celebrations that #BeatPlasticPollution. Love you @iam_juhi, you are such a beautiful crusader,” she said in a tweet.
Don’t you just love this #MeriPlasticFreeDiwali!?! Celebrations that #BeatPlasticPollution. Love you @iam_juhi, you are such a beautiful crusader. https://t.co/mWC4H4FqeP
— Dia Mirza (@deespeak) October 24, 2018
Actor Juhi Chawla, has raised her voice against the rampant use of plastic in the past too. Last year she made a similar appeal asking people to opt for eco-friendly packaging during Christmas.
The greatest gifts are not wrapped in Plastic but in Love. This Christmas let’s do something different, let’s ditch the plastic wrapping papers & use eco- friendly products. Be our environment’s Secret Santa, she had said.
Plastic menace is one of the biggest issues that the world is grappling with. Talking about our country, India generates around 56 lakh tonnes of plastic waste annually and only a fraction of it gets recycled. Meaning, whatever plastic we use in our lives daily can be found on planet in some form even after 1000 years, as earth cannot digest plastic. So, do your bit to save the planet, say no to plastic this Diwali and adopt a plastic free lifestyle.
Also Read: ‘Eco-Friendly Firecrackers Don’t Exist’, Experts React To Supreme Court Order Ahead Of Diwali
NDTV – Dettol Banega Swachh India campaign lends support to the Government of India’s Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). Helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan, the campaign aims to spread awareness about hygiene and sanitation, the importance of building toilets and making India open defecation free (ODF) by October 2019, a target set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when he launched Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in 2014. Over the years, the campaign has widened its scope to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and menstrual hygiene. The campaign has also focused extensively on marine pollution, clean Ganga Project and rejuvenation of Yamuna, two of India’s major river bodies.
