While factories also have a huge role to play in this, individuals should also share the responsibility
RAWALPINDI: Seeing all the filth and garbage that accumulate in drains and nullahs across Pakistan, one cannot help but think what are we doing to our environment? Our garbage dumps and drains are all overflowing with trash, most of which are plastic bags, diapers, packets of chips and other foodstuffs and bottles. It is sad to see that this is our contribution to the planet and this is the legacy we will leave behind for coming generations. There is a stark contrast in the Earth we inherited and the Earth we will pass on. Perhaps we need to return to the way our ancestors lived. Instead of collecting a hundred plastic bags after a shopping trip, we should carry multiple cloth bags with us, which can be reused countless times. Instead of using single-use plastics, such as bottles, we should switch to metal or glass alternatives which last longer and can be recycled afterwards as well. Plastic cling-film can be replaced with aluminium foil (which can be reused multiple times), coverings made of wax paper or storage containers. Small lifestyle changes at the individual level, and then at the household level, can result in significant reduction in the waste we generate. While factories also have a huge role to play in this, individuals should also share the responsibility.
Farhan Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, May 21st, 2019.
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