New Delhi: As India celebrates 45th World Environment Day, here’s an inspiring story of Bharadwaj family from Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district who has shunned the use of plastic bags to keep the planet clean and green four years ago. Now, the family encourages everyone to stop using these bags to beat plastic pollution which is also the theme of this year’s World Environment Day.
Talking to ANI, Mahendra Bharadwaj who works as a mechanic in Dantewada and earns about Rs. 12,000 to feed his six family members, said,
Four years ago, we all took this decision after we saw how the drain in front of our house kept getting clogged with polythene bags. Cleaning the clogged drain every day was quite troublesome for us. One day, I asked my son to search about the ill-effects of polythene bags online and on finding how these plastic bags add to environmental pollution, we mutually decided to completely stop using them.
Also Read: Happy World Environment Day! Here’s What India Is Doing To Beat Plastic Pollution: Top Highlights
Mr Bhardwaj further adds that this decision was not easy,
We initially faced a lot of problems in getting curd, milk, vegetables and other small household goods.
Determined, Bhardwaj family replaced plastic bags with jute bags and started taking steel containers everywhere when buying other liquid goods. Moreover, the family also started encouraging their neighbours, co-workers to stop the use of plastic bags.
Because of our persistent efforts, 5-7 of families have stopped using plastic bags completely, added Mr Bhardwaj.
How Plastic Is Killing Our Planet
Nearly one-third of the plastic packaging used in the world escapes the collection systems and ends up clogging the city streets and polluting the natural environment. Every year, up to 13 million tons of plastic leak into the oceans, where it smothers coral reefs and threatens vulnerable marine wildlife.
What India, the global host of 45th World Environment Day needs is more Swachh Warriors like Bharadwaj family so that their fight to beat plastic pollution can be sustained.
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