As a child, I remember those large calico bags we would use to get the grocery items in. No fancy plastic or paper bags for us. This time when I went back home to Pune, our Bai asked me if I had bought the ‘zip-lock’ bags from the U.S (those are still quite expensive in India)! Answering her question was tough for me because until about eight years ago when I came to the U.S, even I was used to those opaque-white delicious-looking Chitale milk bags which we would rinse thoroughly after using the milk and keep to dry, to be used and re-used umpteen times as ‘plastic bags’! Perhaps a very Puneri, thrifty way of re-using items that most would toss away in garbage! Zip-lock bags are still a rare commodity for my family. My mother looks at them with disdain, whenever I take a few of those fancy zip-lock sandwich bags for her, from my larder. “Who needs these plastic bags?” she says. Since then, I learnt a lesson because even I would fancy these plastic bags as they look more orderly and neat. Our Bai seems to have ‘progressed’ more than my Ma in these matters, but I support my Ma’s sense of thriftiness here. As a result of this lesson learnt the hard way, this trip to Pune, I took some calico bags for my Mom and she was happy! These bags seem to be gaining popularity in the U.S as well and these days, I see people at the grocery stores using these bags or paper bags. Many say ‘no’ to plastic bags.

A somber incident that I wish to write about here. After the heavy rains this year in Pune, the Mutha river had swollen a lot. Like others, we too went to see the river from Lakdi bridge. The second time (after the rainy season was over) we visited the bridge to get a glimpse of the river, a horrid sight awaited us. The level of water in the Mutha had gone down considerably and there were so many plastic bags, sheets, paper and other junk plastered onto the causeway and the banks of the river. The river had finally got a chance to regurgitate all the junk thrown into it by us humans. Several photos of this ugly view of the Pune landscape have also been published by Indian Express and other newspapers.

The use-and-throw policy mostly seems to be applied to plastic and it’s

derivatives. Use a plastic comb or those styrofoam cups and plates and throw them away! That seems to be the general rule of thumb. The same also applies to those cheap plastic toys we get nowadays. As a naughty child, I would wail and get angry if Ma gave me my Bournvita in a steel glass. My cousins would get theirs in fancy plastic, child-friendly mugs with prints of Mickey-mouse or Pluto. As kids, our generation would have washable cotton or muslin nappies while these days I see heaps and heaps of disposable diapers in households having babies. I feel that using plastic is perfectly ok if it makes sense, but to indiscriminately use it anywhere and everywhere, especially when better alternatives are available, is sheer stupidity.

The same saga with paper. Toilet paper may be a necessity, but I have seen wastage of that as well! At a Target store, I had to use the restroom and on the floor of the restroom I saw a pile of toilet paper. Apparently someone had been playing with the toilet paper while errr…in the toilet! I was looking at the mess with disgust when I heard rapid, tearing noises coming from near the washbasin. After washing her hands, a lady was removing paper napkins in succession, partially wiping her hands on one and then discarding it and so on, until atleast fifteen or more paper napkins were used! Had a good, old-fashioned handkerchief been used to wipe washed hands or noses (instead of those fancy Kleenex tissues), wouldn't it have been better? Handkerchiefs are reusable!

I do not mean to crib or criticize here, because I myself am also under scrutiny here and guilty of using plastic or paper where alternatives had been easily available. Ofcourse, many of us know the issues of releasing too much plastic or paper junk in our precious rivers and oceans! Most of this plastic junk finds its way to ‘third world’ (yeah right!) countries and then videos are issued of miserable ragpickers in some ‘third world’ country, picking up this trash and working on it to make a part of it re-usable at least, at the expense of their health! Why generate this kind of trash to begin with! To give a job for Greenpeace people? Why not reuse the same bottle to drink water! Why does one need a crate of water bottles, to guzzle at each and then toss it away?

Ever since I had my eye-opening experiences with plastic and it’s evils, my husband and I have been trying to use those white cloth bags or reusable paper bags for grocery. Instead of buying a new comb, I try to clean the old comb in water with a little soap and soda. Yes, true – it is a lot of work. But, it seems to be working and I think I shall soon be making amends for my ignorant usage of environmentally-unfriendly materials. Believe me, it helps to make peace with Nature. There seems to be some kind of strife, some unrest in the mind when one uses this plastic man-made junk – it seems to have this uncomfortable air of transience to it whereas using the good old re-usable cloth material or the earthy glass or steel ware seems to be everlasting! I may seem ultra-self-righteous when I write this blog, but it is written in a sincere effort to improve myself and share my thoughts with fellow bloggers and my Ma!