Cold comfort, but the Problem is Inexorable Warming

"Madam, you are the first person to bring your own bag."
This, as I buy a few apples from the fruit vendor and place them in my shopping bag.
To me, this 'award' / 'title' / 'compliment' has been frequent, from greengrocers for the past several years, through my stay in localities in Bangalore, Coimbatore and now Delhi.
As I walk away, a thought occurs, and I turn back to enquire, "How long have you been fruit-vending in this locality?"
"About 5 years..."
"And in all this while have not customers brought their bags along?"
"No madam, they start to argue if I do not offer the the plastic bag..."
To say I am appalled or aghast would be to overstate feelings... 'sad' better relates to what one feels. But the ubiquitous colourless p.bag is evident all over. At the weekly vegetable market, "Bhaiyaa, give me another carrybag...", can be frequently heard while grocery-shopping.
Sprawling malls, wide roads, and tall structures - 'this is a mini Manhattan', a resident proudly claims, even as I discover that there is no practice of segregation of waste - yet.
And so I continue to hope for the best, while writing to housing society management committees, carrying my bag around, and looking forward to 'Clean and Green Delhi'... At these times, the vendors' compliments provide (little) cold comfort...
Wish I could flash these statistics every time - courtesy Poodwaddle.com
(click on the leads to the left, for more figures)
For large-print picture, see here

Comments

  1. Indrani08 September, 2008

    Well done, Swarna!You are setting a trend there.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kat09 September, 2008

    While the racing auto-rickshaw meter used to be scary.... these spiralling and plummeting numbers are even scarier.

    Was also fascinated watching the number of people coming into the earth and the number of people going out.

    You're leading by example. Warmed to your ideas and concerns. You've encouraged a chap to shop with his own bag..!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Swarna09 September, 2008

    Thanks, Indrani, Kat
    The Delhi Degradable Plastic Bag and Garbage Bill is to be tabled in the Assembly session tomorrow. The Delhi Cabinet has already cleared the bill.
    "The amended Degradable Plastic Bag (Manufacture, Sales and Usage and Garbage (Control) (Amendment) Bill, 2008 provides no person shall manufacture, stock, distribute or sell plastic bags made of virgin or recycled, degradable or non-degradable plastic bags, which are less than 20x30 cm in size and with thickness less than 40 microns", reports the Business Standard.
    Kat, hope other realize that it's a case of better now than never.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Inner Vision09 September, 2008

    Nice to be on your blog and to see the change the serious the earth is going through.... Brilliant idea!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Salil15 October, 2008

    This clock is simply amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Swarna16 October, 2008

    Inner Vision, Salil
    Pl visit the clock's original site poodwaddle.com to appreciate it fully

    ReplyDelete

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