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As Maharashtra's plastic ban begins, here are some eco-friendly products you can use

From disposable cutlery to metal straws, there are a lot of options to choose from

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Though there may be some time before Mumbai presses the pause button on the use of plastic, you can start phasing out the use of such products. Since there has been a lot of talk about the harmful effects of single-use plastic essentials, those who can’t do without bags, cutlery and straws can look at environment-friendly alternatives. Here are a few ideas...

Bag it all!

A Mumbai-based NGO, Aasra Foundation, has introduced vegetable shopping bags. It has a total of six pockets, out of which four can accommodate weight up to a kilo. Two pockets can bear up to half-a-kilo. Priced at Rs 120 (plus shipping charges) and made of pure thick cotton, it has been tailored to accommodate your daily groceries, and can easily hold about eight to 10 kilos of vegetables. You can call Aasra Foundation on 9322847496.

Straws you can use

You can opt for a set of four straight stainless steel reusable drinking straws that are available online. It also comes with a cleaning brush, so that you don’t have to worry about germs. For an even cooler option, you may require an American connection as you will have to get a friend to ship the Final Straw to you. It’s collapsible and fits into a keychain. A set of four straws cost around Rs 350.

Dine with eco-friendly tableware

It’s been a two-and-half-year-old journey that has come full circle for Mumbai-based couple Parin and Apeksha Haria. Their venture, The Boxwood, encourages people to adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle junking plastic for good.

Parin says, “The proposal to ban plastic bags has created an interest in eco-friendly products. Single-use plastic is one of the biggest problems our oceans and seas face.” The Boxwood already sells eco-friendly tableware and stationery, and also plans to make disposable and biodegradable paper straws by the end of July. Its range of plates, bowls and spoons come in two varieties — Areca (a planet-friendly alternative to plastic that is produced from fallen areca palm leaves, which makes them biodegradable) and Bagasse (the fibrous residue that remains after extraction of juice from sugarcane). You have to shell out Rs 54 for 10 Areca plates, spoons are priced at Rs 3 per piece, while a set of 10 big bowls is for Rs 44. The Bagasse four partition plates will cost you `80, while the ones with five compartments are for Rs 85.

Green garbage bags

If you have been wondering how you are going to dispose of your garbage without a plastic bag, here’s an eco-friendly option. GreenBUG, a Bengaluru-based firm founded by Arun Balachandran has introduced paper-based dustbin liners to replace the existing plastic ones. By picking these you will not only be doing your bit for the environment but will also contribute towards a venture that supports employment of women from low-income families. A pack of 75 dustbin liners that’s available online will cost you Rs 400.

Stationery stories

The Boxwood, as well as www.greenmylife.in, offer you eco-friendly stationery options. Both these organisations have pencils that have seeds at one end and can be planted after they are used. The Boxwood also sells pencils made from recycled newspapers. Newspaper sheets are inserted into a machine, which rapidly applies glue, rolls the paper tight around the lead and compresses it. These pencils are then ready to use. Those who worry about trees being chopped down to create eco-friendly products can use these items. The gift seed paper is handmade and has seeds embedded in it. You can use this to create mementoes, wedding invites, envelopes, party invites, thank you notes, wrapping paper for gifts, drawing paper for children, etc. You can buy the products on www.theboxwood.in and www.greenmylife.in.

Bring your own box

Besides getting people to use eco-friendly products, an Auckland supermarket, New World Howick, is trialling a program where customers are asked to bring in their own reusable containers to take home fresh meat and seafood. A tip you too can use.

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