Plastic

A well-known shopping chain in Mumbai (with a yellow and green logo) recently plastered its store with pictures of open garbage heaps full of plastic (something like the picture below).

"Lets Get Rid of Plastic" said the signs.

The irony of it all.

This is a store where every vegetable item is wrapped in plastic and then weighed and then the price sticker is stuck on it.

"Join us as we fight plastic" said the sign. And how do we join this noble cause? "We will not provide plastic bags for any purchase under Rs. 10."

How utterly laughable. I have never seen anyone come into the store and purchase something for so little. What could you? A packet of glucose biscuits? A roll of "poppins"? What I normally see are well-to-do folks pushing huge trolleys just brimming with products. The average customer pays in the 100s (sometimes in the 1000s), not the 10s, let alone under Rs. 10.

Another sign says "1 cloth bag = 1000 plastic bags". Problem is that cloth bags are not allowed in the store - you check them in with security at the entrance.

Its going to take more to take care of the good earth that God has given us - than making a few signs which signify nothing.