Today a world without plastic is unimaginable. Plastic products are used in every aspect of our lives. A child's first bottle, toys, bedlining, pens, toothbrushes, a syringe injected into a dying man. In every activity we use products made of plastic.

The 'plastic products' industry supports our economy in a big way. Many people are working in this industry, from making products to selling them. But my grandparents, in their childhood, played with wooden toys, used neem twigs for brushing teeth and  cooking utensils made of steel, copper and other metals. A plastic bag will not decompose, even after 500 years. The plastic containers release poisonous chemicals into the food stored in them. In the sea and on land animals are dying because of eating plastic by mistake. The areas where our city's garbage is dumped are full of plastic bags.

Let's bring small changes in our thinking, living and buying. Let's carry our own bottles, reusable containers and cloth bags. Replace plastics in our kitchen and home. Repair the clothes, shoes and products that can be reused. Choose cotton clothes over synthetic clothes. Return containers and bags to shops for reuse. Have waste free parties. Eat ice cream in cones, avoid drinks in plastic bottles, and stop using plastic straws and spoons . Buy in bulk and buy fresh. Prefer home cooked meals and snacks over market products which are wrapped in plastic covers. Use durable metal hair clips , hairbands, bottles, tiffin and compass boxes instead of plastic ones. Cover books with paper covers. Use earthen pots for our plants. Choose toys made of metal, earthen clay or cloth. Recycle our old torn clothes to make our own dolls. The solution lies in being mindful about what we are using and where it is going. Let's completely ban the usage of plastic in our lives . Like our Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi said, we have to make our country a plastic free nation by the year 2022.

But what about the waste which is already there? We can use the waste to make roads or footpath tiles, recycling plastic items consumes less energy than making new ones. We should clean the litter on our beaches , market areas, tourist spots. We should throw our wastes in proper garbage bins so that we are able to recycle our waste. Our requirements and activities should lead to zero wastage. Our lifestyle should aim for longevity and durability. This use and throw way of living creates a lot of waste. This is seen in the rise of garbage in our surroundings unlike our grandparents' childhood.

So let's "Be fantastic and not litter plastic". Let's stand together and pledge to ban single use of of plastic . Let's go natural and forget plastic!