Going to a hyper market and buying groceries is a routine and a weekly ritual. However, after buying the necessary items, we get poly bags, which are reused as dustbin bags.
I know of some small families who prefer to purchase dustbin bags separately. I have nothing against those innocent biodegradable plastic bags, or against their manufacturers. I am just questioning their intention behind producing an otherwise impeachable utilitarian article.
When I see a family of four that chooses not to bring their own reusable fabric shopping bag to collect groceries from, and pick up dustbin bags, it makes me see a very small decision leading to unnecessary demand for plastic.
Are these bags a status symbol? Do you think guests at a dinner party would feel weird dumping trash into a plastic bag as compared to a black garbage bag?
I raise this question at a time where environmental damage and various irreversible effects are taking place worldwide.
Biodegradable bags are all right, but what about the others? Why do we throw out plastic bags and packets when we can reuse them all?
Plastics, ultimately make their way to rivers, seas and oceans, dangerously damaging water bodies. Single use plastics disintegrate into micro plastics that are potentially hazardous. We, as a technologically advanced progressive society, are knowingly and unknowingly, threatening our future generations.
Now, let us not start here with recently discovered plastic eating enzymes. History is a witness to the fact that one thing always leads to another and the vicious cycle just doesn’t stop. Just by recycling and reusing products, we can bring about a big change. People from all walks of life can make an effort.
- The reader is an engineer based in the UAE.
