‘AMENDING LIFESTYLES KEY TO REDUCING PLASTIC USAGE’

NAVI MUMBAI: It may be common knowledge that plastic is hazardous for the environment, but very few have bothered to make amendments to their lifetsyles to reduce its consumption.

As per Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) figures, citizens generate about 369 grams of garbage every day, of which plastic is a major part.

Experts said that the actual challenge was to reduce the garbage footprint, which in turn would help reduce garbage in the city. In fact, one of the major reasons behind waste production was urban lifestyles, they added.

“Earlier people would visit local markets and carry cloth bags. They shopped for things on a daily basis, which in turn kept a check on wastage. Though as compared to other countries, the waste generation in India was not so high, statistics now reveals that there is high consumption,” said Shekhar Srinivasan, a third year environmental studies student at a Nerul-based college.

“Shopping in malls, buying processed foods, frozen products and fast food are all adding to plastic pollution. We need more awareness while using and disposing such products,” said Mohan Dagaonkar, city engineer, NMMC.

Vashi resident Maria Merchant, a nurse by profession, said that the youth needed to change its outlook. “Today’s youth live in nuclear families which leads to more consumption and waste,” said Merchant.