Plastic pollution is becoming a huge problem, not just in India but worldwide. With sea animals dying due to excessive accumulation of plastic waste in water bodies and land animals choking on plastic after mistakenly consuming them, various organisations as well as countries are trying to come up with ways to change the current scenario. India too is seeing a plastic ban in several states but that's not enough. Sameera Satija from Gurugram is fighting plastic pollution and making people aware as to why it's needed. She has kickstarted a new concept called ‘crockery bank’ to curb plastic pollution.
How does it work?
The 45-year-old lends steel utensils to clubs and organizers for their programmes and events, all for free, reported Indian Express. Once they have been used, you clean them and return the utensils to her. If one likes the idea, they are welcome to donate more utensils to the bank.
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The concept is to reduce the usage of disposable plates and glasses and instead use steel, which can be washed and used again
“People do understand but everyone has their own reason for using them. So, I came up with this idea to provide reusable crockery for free. As asking people to buy them was not a practical thing,” she said in an interview with IE.
She also said, “The large number of disposable plates, glasses that were left behind after any bhandara, langar, chabeel in public places always appalled me. The plastic waste would clog drains and get stuck in horticulture iron nets. Sometimes, animals swallow them because of leftover food items sticking to them.”
How much has she grown?
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Satija self-funded the initiative and bought around 100 steel glasses and 75 plates. She got the first batch of utensils with the help of a friend who had connections with somebody in a factory.
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The central government employee then created a Facebook page called ‘Crockery Bank for Everyone’. The message was simple and said, “ask – use – wash – return”.
Satija started by lending steel glasses to groups organising Chabeel, just ahead of Nirzala Akadashi, last month. The glasses were used to serve lassi to people. “I started with glasses only and gave them to two groups. To my satisfaction, we could avoid a considerable amount of disposable trash,” she added.
One of the groups has kept the glasses as they organise Chabeels regularly. One of them has also donated some glasses to her. Satija has also received monetary support, but she stresses that only those who have used the utensils themselves and have added crockery to the bank should contribute.
Her collection
Her collection has now risen to 400 utensils.
She also acknowledged that washing utensils is easy if it's a house party, or a bhandara or langar, but the problem arises when it's a roadside event. "The problem arises at events roadsides or public places where there is no easy access to water. I am considering talking to civic bodies to provide water in such cases,” she said.
Satija's 'Çrockery Bank' is only operational in Gurugram right now. She hopes that people will get encouraged by this initiative and more such banks will start opening up at the community level.
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Kriti Dwivedi is an intern with SheThePeople.Tv