A massive 25,940 tonnes of plastic waste is generated in India every day, according to a report published by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 2017. This translates to a per capita consumption of 11 kilograms of plastic on an average. A large part of this waste can be attributed to single-use or disposable applications in the form of bottles, use & throw plates, bags, wrappers, and sachets the most fatal of them all being the plastic bottles & cups. On a broader perspective, India is a land of surprising contrasts. It represents just 2.4 percent of the world’s land mass, yet supports 16 percent of its population. Its environment is polluted due to the pressures of overpopulation, yet our leaders are deeply committed to combating climate change.

In 2014, India became the first country in the world to mandate corporate social responsibility with the introduction of a law that requires major companies to donate 2 percent of profits to sustainable development. However, that alone does not solve the problems that have encroached in disguise of plastic. Thanks to the widespread encroachment of plastic in our lives, today most of the water bodies are in plastic, as the recent high tide revealed in Mumbai, where the receding water of the ocean left behind a shocking image, which went viral on social. While oceans are one end of the problem, plastic choked rivers are the end of the problem, as highlighted by yet another viral video of a Himalayan River. The first step is to completely give up single use plastic such as disposable glasses, plates, cups, bags and straws, and adopt ecofriendly alternatives. The country has collectively risen to the nightmare describes our environmental situation. There are startups and subsidiary firms of large enterprises that are raising hopes of a future where plastic pollution can be solved. India has a long history of using natural materials for packaging. Let’s take a moment to get to know them. We have read about technology advancements and AI and ML and what not. Those technologies would be worth nothing if the human civilization drowns in its own plastic waste or more practically, lose economy due to relentless expenditures cleaning our surroundings. This edition throws light on some of those green products manufacturers.
Because they deserve it!