WRAPPED IN RUBBISH.

 Look at these two items. Both are oats but are priced differently. The obvious choice, if you are not brand conscious, will be to purchase the lower priced one in terms of unit price. The Lion oats, however, has a ziploc bag packaging so it can be reused whereas to reuse the Saffola oats one we might need to use a clip or rubber band. 

Now look at the item below. 

What do you think about the packaging? Reusable. Recyclable? If they were all priced the same and you were not brand conscious or you knew all three were of the same quality, which one would you prefer to purchase? Think about it and leave your answer in the comments below. 

With supermarkets springing up at every corner and online shopping taking the world by storm, it was inevitable that packaging had to become the number one concern of manufacturers. 

How do I get my goods to the customer safely so he is satisfied? When he sees it, he should feel that he is getting a product that is not contaminated. So packaging evolved from the simple paper bag we got at our local grocery store to the tin foil plastic coated wrap that it is today. 

Initially, only a few products were packaged in this new avatar. But as it became obvious that customers preferred it, everyone got onto the bandwagon and that's when all hell broke loose. 

No one looked into their crystal balls and saw what this kind of packaging would do to our world. Those who saw it coming were shut up by those who saw it coming and didn't care. 

Food is fresher if sold locally and doesn't need chemicals to preserve it so it can survive the long distances it needs to travel to come to our table. 

It also doesn't need packaging. 

My lament every year when the NO PLASTIC JULY CHALLENGE comes around is what to do with my milk pouches? They are disposables too. In fact, even supermarket packaging is so unnecessary. If a proper bulk dispensing system is put in place, consumers can be allowed to use this ingenious method to dispense with packaging altogether. 

One suggestion given by ecobhakts was to dispose of this enormous amount of packaging by making ECOBRICKS. But this is not really solving the problem. The focus ought to be on elimination, reduction and alternative packaging that is both durable and eco-friendly. One such endeavour is cited below:

Here in India, we need to find such alternative solutions as we are a large population and will pollute at a greater level. An article cites some of these solutions given for India. Do read it at: 

https://swachhindia.ndtv.com/breakfreefromplastic-top-5-alternatives-to-plastic-bags-that-are-available-in-the-market-9477/

In your own little world, take the steps to eliminate and reduce plastic packaging. 

Take the NO PLASTIC JULY CHALLENGE. One month of trying hard to steer clear of this rubbish wrapping will hopefully form a lasting habit. JUST DO IT!