Carry your own shopping bag

Mangalore Today News Network

BANGALORE: That plastic is non-biodegradable is something even children are aware of. But has this awareness curbed the use of plastic?

Most parts of Bangalore are still littered with thin carry bags, plastic cups and plates. These very plastic bags, with a life of over 100 years, clog our storm water drains and lakes.

National Geographic launched a campaign on Sunday in the city asking shopkeepers to avoid plastic. Their message to customers is `Bring your own bag’ (BYOB).

As part of the campaign, National Geographic will spread the word in the city’s most visited shopping hub, Commercial Street. The channel has created special ecofriendly bags to be distributed there. "This is to create awareness that customers should carry their own shopping bags. For the next 10 days, volunteers will stand near our shops, take plastic bags from the customers and put all the stuff into cloth bags. The customers will receive free cloth bags, which we hope will create awareness. It is ecofriendly and reusable. Commercial Street shopkeepers are going to support this campaign," said vice president of Commercial Street Association, Ajai Motwani.