WE MADE PLASTIC. WE DEPEND ON IT. NOW WE’RE DROWNING IN IT
During the recent year, we tried our full level best to keep the mountains clean. In the recent year, we have found Multi-layered plastics, the packets that our chips, farsan, and biscuits get sold in, accounted for 63 percent of the trash. Single-use plastic items (disposable plates, glasses and the like) and PET bottles accounted for another 26 percent. This, more than anything else, illustrates the limited efficacy of the much-publicized government bans on plastic shopping bags. Plastic bags are only a fraction of the problem. Not surprisingly, Hindustan Coca-Cola and Pepsico India led the count between them since they dominate the market for packaged snacks and soft drinks.
The results of the waste audit and the brand audit were presented at the Vigyan Bhavan by Priyadarshinee Shrestha, the team leader of the WWF-India Khangchendzonga Landscape Office, Sikkim and Roshan Rai during a meeting organized by the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change as part of the World Environment Day. Roshan says about the presentation, “The Vigyan Bhavan presentation went well but there was no commitment made by the Ministry. The data was further made public on June 4 at the Delhi press club along with data of other cities but no response from the ‘offending companies’ as yet.” That is a shame.
Later I and my journey to explore team has realized that the best way is to approach is the tourist traveling to the Himalayas need to be educated.
We will be conducting a cleanup drive soon. If anyone wants to volunteer please drop a comment.
Also to all the tour operators in Himachal, Jammu, Uttrakhand, and Nepal, please pledge to make your destination clean and plastic-free.