Malleswaram Social volunteers have launched a unique initiative – Blow the Whistle – to deter people from converting open spaces into yellow spots. “We have launched this initiative in 2021 to stop people from urinating on the road, especially along the compound wall near 9th Cross and other locations. It has become a nuisance for us. There are occasions where some auto-rickshaw drivers quarrel with me for blowing the whistle,’’ said Vijaya Shenoy of Malleswaram Social.
One has to be mindful of what the gifts are wrapped in too, as gift wraps generate huge waste and mostly end up in the bins the next day and this goes to the landfills. The plastic used or ribbons or foil wraps are non recyclable, nor biodegradable and are destined to go to the landfill. Options like jute and cloth can be used for packing that would look more elegant and is said to be better for the planet.
Reports show that the scale of food wastage in India is high, with household waste amounting to 68.7 million tons of food annually, equating to 50 kg per person per year. Furthermore, over 20 crore people go to bed hungry. More than one-third of the food produced in India is wasted even before reaching plates.
According to plastic seizure data provided by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), while over 22,000 kilograms of banner plastic were seized between June and October 2022, only 3,408 kilograms have been recovered in the given period this year. BBMP seized 11,602 kilograms of plastic between January and May this year.