Day 1: 950 cloth bags distributed at Vashi

VASHI: To deter citizens from using plastic bags and switch to other environment- friendly alternatives, Hindustan Times on Friday started a three- day campaign at Inorbit Mall, Vashi.

As a part of the Say-no-toplastic campaign, HT will distribute 3,000 cloth bags over the next two days.

On the first day, 950 bags were distributed to visitors at the mall. The bad also contained a pamphlet that carried reasons why plastic was harmful to the environment. It also had tips on how to reduce one’s plastic footprint and how to reduce, reuse and recycle it.

Visitors at the mall were all praises for the campaign. “Reusable bags cut down on the amount of petroleum used to produce plastic ones and the number of bags going to landfills. Hence, we all must pledge to use reusable bags to curb the plastic menace,” said Vashi resident, Poonam Mehta.

In the first phase of the campaign, HT had organised a cleanup drive at Mini- Sea Shore in which more than 200 citizens collected plastic from the area and making it litter-free.

BACHCHAN KUMAR Visitors were given cloth bags at Inorbit mall.