You see ’em all over the place, in and around every hamlet, town and city in Kerala. The desi homemaker, student, office-goer—all flaunt it with the neighbour’s envy, owner’s pride syndrome. “Old habits die hard”, they say and the Gulf- (now Globe-) trotting Malayali obediently carries with him the unique identity, which along with his heavy accent, reveals him as born and bred in God’s Own Country.
We Malayalis hoard plastic bags, packets and containers of all sizes and hues. There is one for the daily steel lunch dabba, another for knick-knacks and the umbrella for the morning sprint after that gaudily-painted bus. There is one for books, one for the bank and yet another for the LIC premiums, one for the post office, a plastic cover for the morning milk pouches and one for, the yet- another-new-arcade in town. We board public transport and jets too with the same hallmark in hand. It’s so much an integral part of our lives that the plastic bag accompanies the faithful to the temple, church and mosque! Covers of all hues litter our streets, rails and once-pristine beaches, testimony to the fact that a literate Kerala is still grappling with an efficient waste disposal system. Our flippant attitude towards the environment is unfathomable and unforgiving. Blessed with abundant rainfall, verdant greenery and an amiable climate, Kerala remained safe and snug far away from the roving eyes and onslaughts of invading hordes that time and again wreaked havoc in north India. I wonder if that explains this smug self-absorption and belligerence to change.
It surprises me no end to see this innate love for plastic which is now a trait passed on to the GenNext. It has transcended all barriers, for, the eminent surgeon, the white-collared CEO and the man on the street—all carry this “accessory” with the same impunity. While on the flip side, the plastic-toting Malayali is branded “Plastiyali”, the sobering realisation that ought to dawn on our collective educated conscience is that we MUST bring the humble cloth bag into circulation. These do-it-yourself bags could well become a fashion statement, tailored from old dupattas, shirts, kurtas, pillow covers and why, even lacy petticoats! They could accompany us to the market, work, seaside—just about everywhere, like our grandmas did in their sunny days. What a pleasant sight it would be to set our creative juices flowing and unleash the Versace and Louis Vuitton in each of us. Our turn to give something back to Nature—keep it pristine.
Instead of waiting for mega-government projects that involve miles of red tape to clean our environment, let us form citizens groups , brave the sun or rain and clean up our own surroundings. Work with our hands as our Maker meant us to and go back to Him with a clean conscience having preserved Nature!