On Earth Day, let’s declare war on plastic
Another Earth Day has come around as the earth completes another orbit around the sun. As a result, we’re bombarded with images, quotes and information on caring for our planet. There is particular focus on how to reduce plastic usage at all places. But for most of us caught in our busy lives, it can feel like someone else’s problem.
Maybe the Green Earth associations will do something. Maybe the governments will make new policies. Or maybe the United Nations will think of something. It doesn’t matter whose responsibility it is; it’s not ours! If that’s how you think, then here are some numbers that should be eye-openers for us Indians especially:
- 42 per cent of plastic used in India is used solely for packaging. This means around half our plastic usage is one time – use and throw! That’s colossal, wouldn’t you agree?
- 15 thousand tonnes of plastic waste is generated every day in India.
- 6 million metric tonnes of plastic waste is generated annually.
- Around 3 million garbage trucks full of untreated waste is disposed off by municipal authorities.
How much plastic is in your home?
Today, we use so many plastic products, that no one thinks twice about even serving food in plastic plates. I too was ignorant of the many ways that plastic is harmful to our bodies. Looking back, I‘m horrified how I allowed anyone to lather my baby with chemically loaded commercial baby lotions and talcum powder.
As new moms we receive so much advice from so many people that it becomes overwhelming, but I strongly believe when we know better, we do better!
So, now that you’re here and are discovering the harmful effects of plastics and chemicals - try to begin reducing your family’s exposure to plastic. Our babies and young ones are even more vulnerable, so it’s all the more vital to protect them.
Many baby essentials like plastic baby bottles, pacifiers and teethers - are all things mothers don’t think twice before putting into their babies’ mouths. BPA is a chemical added to plastics to make them more durable. Previously, BPA has been used to fatten chickens before slaughtering! Now companies only add BPA to our everyday products!
BPA is dangerous because it disrupts the hormones our body naturally produces, by mimicking the effect of the female hormone estrogen. Imagine female hormones running wild in your little baby boy’s body during the most important development phases of his life!
The newest trend is BPA-free plastic, but do we really know what additional chemicals are being added to products to make them BPA-free?
Plastic has become such an inane part of our lives that doing away with it seems like a losing battle. But there’s still hope!
Here are some simple steps to help you reduce plastic usage:
Start by limiting buying things sold in plastic. It’s difficult but slowly it will become a habit. If it’s not possible to find an alternative to plastic, make sure that you recycle it after use - rather than dump it in the trash can. If you can afford to, always buy organic, herbal and natural products. Not only are they good for you – but also for the environment.
Use only stainless steel water bottles to carry water – for yourself and your kiddos. Our mothers and grandmothers did this, before the convenience of plastic overran them. This also applies to lunchboxes. The easiest way you can eliminate plastic from your kitchen is to go for stainless steel or glass containers. If changing everything is going to be hard on your budget, do it gradually. Buy a new one every month and you’ll soon have a plastic free kitchen.
Stop using plastic plates and cups immediately. I cannot stress this enough. Serving hot food on a plastic plate is extremely harmful. When going out to buy fruits and veggies always carry your own bag. Jute and cloth bags are long lasting and you’ll even save some money this way!! There are so many ways to improve your family’s health and reducing chemicals and plastic at home will go a long way to that.
If you have a newborn or young infant this would be a great time to invest in cloth diapers. Disposable diapers take over 500 years to fully decompose! Imagine the burden on Mother Earth! Cloth diapers work out to be cheaper. I have used cloth diapers along with our normal Indian nappies – and my baby has only got diaper rash twice in his life! That too when we were travelling!
Always recycle plastic and paper. I agree that in India it’s a new concept and we don’t really have the infrastructure to do it, but things are slowly changing. You can always sell your old stuff to the local raddiwala. I assure you that is recycling.
Another great step would be to separate your kitchen garbage into organic and other waste. As moms we are so busy that this would seem like an additional errand – but it will soon become a habit.
I too faced many roadblocks when I started my journey into natural parenting. I am still fumbling but learning along the way. This Earth Day, let’s pledge to remove all traces of plastic and chemicals from our homes!