DO NOT LITTER!!!

Some adventurer has so wrongly said,” Take nothing but photographs, Leave nothing but footprints.” I mean, how can a person go to a place and not take a piece of what he loved about the place. You think that is difficult, try doing the next one even once in your life. I mean, there is so much a person has to carry but not retain on a trip. And the joy of throwing a water bottle in the beautiful river, chocolate wrappers on the white snow and empty chips packets on the fine grass is exceptional. God surely had missed something while he created the universe i.e. PLASTIC! But he surely created man to perfect all his imperfections. Happy to Help, God!!



The first things I noticed in a trek were huge sign boards saying “DO NOT LITTER”. Naturally, most of the garbage was surrounded near the same boards. Some eco-friendly creature also had the courtesy to deviate the message to “DO NOT LITTER, ELSEWHERE!” I have travelled a lot, seriously. But there is not a single place in India I have gone to which would be fit to visit back after 10-15 years. Thanks to some highly educated, sophisticated and intelligent beings who try to leave their mark wherever they go. And I do not want to visit any tourist destination just to watch empty water bottles, beer cans and chips packets.



India is a land of diversities. We are a land of numerous religions, cultures, heritage, languages, castes, regions, climates, incomes and perceptions. But there sure is one thing that unites all of us. No, it is not the feeling of Indianness, because I doubt that this feeling is present in not more than 20% of the residents of the country. Yes, it indeed is GARBAGE. From the slopes of Himalayas to the beaches of Kerela, from Gangotri to Kanyakumari, and from Dwarka to Puri, ‘garbage’ is the only thing which never changes. Our rivers have been awarded the status of the most polluted in the world, and the natural beauty of the Himalayas is fast degrading, all thanks to a collective effort by all of us. Now that is called ‘Unity!’



So, what does one do if he has to change it all? Frankly, there isn’t much a single individual can do. We can start with refraining from plastic as much as possible, and disposing it properly after use. And yes, there is a very important thing I learnt from my hostel life. ‘If you are awake, wake up the others before the attendance is too low!’ The ones who know and understand should educate the others. That is how even one man can make a difference.



As for the government, we should put strict norms on the use of plastic for packaging of food items on the respective companies. All these companies, as it is well known, are known to operate at a whopping 600-700% margin, so it should not hurt to alter their bottling and packaging materials instead of spending unnecessarily on marketing and branding. Another bewildering fact I have discovered is that despite all the technological advancements and the presence of such brilliant scientific minds in our country, we have not been able to fabricate even a single inexpensive bio-degradable synthetic material till now. Paper and wood can no longer be used as an alternative to plastic everywhere, or it will turn out to be an even bigger concern for the environment.



So lets us pledge to be the one who makes the difference, to prevent our surroundings and environment from degradation, if not to improve it. Only then will our country be known again as the ‘Land of the Himalayas and the Ganges’ and not the ‘Land of the Garbage and the Sewage’! Do away with plastic, Save paper and Keep it clean!!



WHAT AN IDEA, SIRJI!!