Norquest lauds the ecological lead taken by Indian army stores

Plastic bags are affecting the environment in India more than in most countries because of the complete lack of discipline and enforcement.

People throw plastic bags everywhere. Though India has legislation in place banning the manufacture and use of thin-gauge plastic bags, these laws exist only on paper, are flouted every day, and plastic bags continue to be thrown away everywhere.

You see them everywhere.

The streets are littered with plastic waste and animals continue to ingest them, mistaking them for food.

The Indian cow, considered sacred by the Hindu religion, is one of the greatest sufferers. Cows on Indian streets now have the trademark bloated stomach that is a result of their digestive systems being choked with indigestible plastic bags.

It appears that governments in most Indian states have given up on law enforcement, particularly on seemingly small issues (we have bigger problems. Always!). Awareness of the immense harm these innocuous looking things do is very, very low.

The CSD (Canteen Stores Department), the establishment that runs specially subsidized consumer stores for all armed forces personnel has quietly started enforcing this ban in a simple and effective manner.

They don’t give away plastic bags. End of story. Either you bring your own cloth bag or you do without. A couple of trips home lugging things without a bag to carry them in and you will not forget to carry your own bag.

Army cantonments are already much cleaner than Indian towns and cities. Now they will be even cleaner.

Perhaps other armed forces stores elsewhere in the world might consider doing something similar. Maybe even making reusable cloth bags available at their stores to encourage people to use them.

Norquest offers a wide variety of attractive reusable bags direct from India at very affordable prices. These can be seen at http://www.badlani.com/bags

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Norquest Brands is a small organisation based in Ahmedabad, India, that seeks to offer viable and attractive alternatives to plastic bags, which they consider a serious threat to our planet’s continued good health.