White Pollution (Plastics)

30 years ago plastics had not entered our lives. We used cloth bags as and when we went shopping. Shop keepers never gave away plastic bags for free. As a result of this price value being tagged on it fewer people used them. Our streets were not littered with heaps of plastics. Jump back to the present and what do we see? Plastic is as common as paper, people have taken it for granted. They no longer need to buy them, shop keepers practically shove it into your hands. dig up the ground and till nearly 8feet down you will find the earth littered with non degradable plastic.

More than 90% of the articles found on the sea beaches contains plastic. Plastic thrown on land can enter into drainage lines and choke them, resulting into floods in local areas in cities as experienced in Mumbai, India in 1998. It was claimed in one of the programs on TV Channel that eating plastic bags results in death of 100 cattle per day in U.P. in India. In the stomach of one dead cow, as much as 35 kg of plastic was found. Because plastic does not decompose, and requires high energy ultra-violet light to break down, the amount of plastic waste in our oceans is steadily increasing, since ultimately all the waste gets mostly dumped in the oceans due to unavailability of land fills in an already overcrowded country. The plastic rubbish found on beaches near urban areas tends to originate from use on land, such as packaging material used to wrap around other goods.

Apart from causing soil pollution, sewage blockages, cattle and mainly marine creatures mistake plastic for food directly or indirectly, blocking digestion and possibly causing starvation. About 44 percent of all seabirds eat plastic, apparently by mistake, sometimes with fatal effects. And 267 marine species are affected by plastic garbage—animals are known to swallow plastic bags, which resemble jellyfish in mid-ocean. Apparently according to one research plastics at oceans are actually degrading and releasing toxic chemicals and causing water pollution.

Is it not enough that we already burn tonnes of oil and destroy the delicate balance of nature, Is it not enough that our power hungry nature has pushed many a species to extinction? The excuse that the common man really don't realize what he is doing to the Eco system is no longer acceptable.While a few of us burn ourselves day in and day out working to protect our fragile planet, the rest of us are happily dumping her with tonnes of garbage, and not just any garbage , the most toxic non-biodegradable, plastics. Let us be very clear here, we have only one earth and only one chance. The Earth will not take this hands down. She is raging, and when her rage will hit us with full force, there will be no light of the day for the human race anymore. Already the production of plastics uses up a lot of fossil fuels and is endangering marine life. And if the lay man does not wake from his long slumber of sweet dream and face the reality, I am afraid there is no help for the turtles and other marine birds that have been affected directly by plastic pollution.

All we need to do is come back to the simpler lives we once lived. Break away from the habit of buying avoidable plastic bags. Carry a cloth/jute bag always. Bring awareness about the harmful effects of plastic to the people around you. Login to Green Commandos (www.greencommandos.com ) join the project 'Say no to plastics' in your area in an effort to make Bangalore plastic free by next year. Join us in our endeavor to bring plastic free culture to Namma City, Bangalore.

Green Commandos is a movement, to bring "Bottom to Top change" wherein people will change their attitude and lifestyle to change the system. New projects will be kick-started every three months. Some examples of future projects are - solar geysers in each house, composting in each house, apartment or building, Q-etiquette - everyone driving on the road in queues and a program aimed at encouraging people to adopt trees in different areas across the city.

The project 'Say no to plastics' was launched on 29th of August by Justice Venkatachaliah and sponsored by green connect, Maa communications,iframe creative, Big Adda, Youth for Seva, Net Impact Bangalore, Area civil defense (Area Surakhsha Mitra) and IYCN, The ambitious project spanning across until next year invites all volunteers to join the project in their areas. We have divided Bangalore into 700 odd 2km stretch areas. People volunteering will join their respective areas , pledging to 'SAY NO TO AVOIDABLE PLASTICS' and bring awareness among friends, family and others in their area. Schools will be roped into the project, wherein the kids are circulated with Green report cards which will contain around 15 questions like 'Did my Mom/Dad use avoidable plastic today?', 'Does my family have cloth/jute for shopping?' etc.,

Green booklet on 'Why say no to plastic'and Green commandos stickers will be circulated on shortly that will pull in 1200 Residential Welfare Associations of Bangalore and invite schools to participate in the drive.

Green Commandos are not symbolic people....We are change agents and we believe in real work and real change.Green Commandos is not a dharna, rally, strike or protest. We work at the grassroot level engaging people in their 2Km areas to make their areas Eco-fit. Everyone can be involved, drive home the change you want to see. Let's take the mission, make more people aware of the 'No Plastics Drive' by involving more people, refer them on 'Making Green Commandos' after logging on to www.greencommandos.com. If your area is not there, propose us to put your area in the area list. It is time when each of us take up responsibility to fight this menace aptly called the 'white pollution'. Here is a chance, Be a part of No Plastic Drive and make a difference !!!!

Know more about Green Commandos straight from the Famous GC's who have endorsed GC way of life:

Gul Panag (Our Ambassador)  http://www.gulpanag.net/gulspace/16-11-2009/going-green.html

Charu Sharma http://blogs.bigadda.com/cha4894247/

Vivek Agnihotri http://vivekagnihotri.bigadda.com/

Visit us at our Adda at http://www.bigadda.com/adda/_view/22907