If I had a Time Machine, I would go back in history to when man invented plastic and, possibly, shoot him or her in the face. Yes, it may be an exceedingly sweeping and knee-jerk reaction, but seems to be the only way out sometimes. The threat of wars seem less gloomy than the damage we have been wreaking on the planet and its inhabitants through the unscrupulous use and misuse of plastic products.
But all plastic isn’t created equal and it is important to make the distinction. The indispensability of this material does make it an essential in our daily lives but in many scientific and technical fields its application is irreplaceable. So, to re-state my stance, in as much as I would love to envision a plastic-free world, I understand that in certain situations you cannot do without it. However I am most miffed about single-use plastic—think straws, paper cups, water bottles, bags and all the other stuff which is neither up for reuse nor recycling. Single-use plastic is also the largest contributing pollutant on Earth, second only to the crap that our politicians spew without end.
Little is being done to reduce the use of single-use plastic in our daily lives and even lesser is done by the agencies-that-be to educate people on how to effectively shift to the stuff that can used over and again. For example, in the West, coffee shops will encourage people to bring their own cups or mugs; some will even offer a discount to encourage the practice. Other places will charge extra for supplying disposable cutlery and use wood-based products instead. Many outlets also offer water-refilling stations.
Another solution I have discovered is to switch to Tupperware. No, I am not part of their three-million and growing sales force and am certainly not hawking its bounties or anything here. But I must share the convenience provided by their products that has certainly helped reduce my personal carbon footprint. I use Tupperware to store, serve and also heat food. They are sturdy and last incredibly long although, I must admit, Indian food will still stain them. But then, Indian food can even stain washable paint so what are a humble plastic receptacles chances?
All water bottles at home are Tupperware and little did I know that their nifty tab-on-the-lid design that allows them to be easily opened with one hand was an invention by an Indian R&D team which was then taken overseas and went on to become an award-winning design. I don’t know why I know that but somewhere it just makes me feel proud.
The only part I don’t like about plastic containers with lids is this: over time, the lids keep disappearing and I have somehow ended up with an inordinate bomber of bowls and lids in my keep. One day, someone will resolve this mystery and the puzzle about socks in the dryer—where do they go? Does the crack in the fabric of space and time really lie inside our washing machines and microwaves?
This has been a slightly askew but emotionally sincere rant against single-use plastic with an unplanned peep into my kitchen cupboards that stock all colours of multi-use plastic jars and bowls. I don’t know if there is a take away from all this. Maybe we need to be simply conscious and cognisant of all the times we unknowingly allow ourselves to use in single-use plastic and check out ways to eliminate it. And remember, no civilised person should drink anything from a straw, ever.
The writer is a sommelier. mail@magandeepsingh.com