Pakistan uses 55b plastic bags each year, Indus second most polluted river of the world
Ambassadors, UN officials team up to raise awareness on plastic hazards
ISLAMABAD: In an effort towards making Pakistan plastic free and to raise awareness on plastic pollution, paraplegic women affectees of 2005 earthquake in Pakistan-administered Kashmir unveiled their up-cycled plastic product works during a climate awareness raising event.
These paraplegic women are taught to create artificial jewellery using recycled paper and plastic bags. Upcycled plastic items include the necklaces, earrings and bracelets of the paper beads of different colours. Project Miracles is an income-generating activity for paraplegic women who suffered injuries during the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
The ceremony held to commemorate World Earth Day 2019 was attended by a large number of earthquake affected persons and their families, diplomats, UN officials and members of civil society who are campaigning for plastic free Pakistan.
The launch of the project titled “Project Miracle” was organised by the Paper Miracles in collaboration with Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Khumariyaan Band, World Bank, World Food Program (WFP), UNHCR and Roche Pakistan.
The highlight of the event was that the ambassadors of Hungary, Switzerland, Japan, and Poland ramp-walked with recycled plastic bag, gym bag, grocery tote bag, football bag and wallets to raise awareness on plastic waste recycling.
Founder of Paper Miracles Elli Takagaki while talking on the occasion said the magnitude and the complexity of the plastic waste was overwhelming and reportedly 55 billion plastic bags are used each year.
She said Project Miracle was a unique initiative launched with an aim to create sustainable income-generation and skill-development opportunities for female earthquake survivors, through recycling plastic waste into Plarn i.e. plastic yarn, which can then be used to make so many products such as bags. Paper Miracles utilises labour, resources, and skills in a way that not only provides women with financial benefits, but also imbues in them a sense of security and self-worth, she added.
Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri representing SDPI said in order to make Pakistan and the world plastic free, we have to change our norms and attitude towards the usage of plastic. He said plastic is not the problem, but the way we use and make waste is the real problem. The challenge for us is to adapt the practice of three R’s i.e. reduce, reuse and recycle, he added.
Miangul Adnan Aurangzeb, Head of the former princely family of Swat and Brand Ambassador Project Miracles said 90 per cent of oceans’ pollution is caused due to the wastes that 10 rivers carry along to the seas and the Indus is the second worst polluter of oceans after China.