Most of us are aware of the harmful effects of plastic bags but we still use them on a daily basis. It’s not like there’s a dearth of alternatives. We can carry a jute or a cloth bag when we are out shopping. Yet, we ask for plastic bags from vendors and shopkeepers. Once we have used the plastic bags, we dump them in the dustbins or throw them on the streets. That’s why, no matter where we go, plastic waste is one of the most disgusting yet ubiquitous sights across the country.
In India, as much as 3.3 million metric tonnes of plastic waste was generated in 2018-19, according to a Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report. This is roughly translated to 9,200 tonnes a day. These numbers are scary and call for urgent action to counter these environmental threats. But achieving a greener planet is our collective responsibility, and we can’t expect a sweeping change unless we start getting involved ourselves. But some individuals are consciously taking the responsibility of conserving the environment. One among them is Sagar Singh, a 28-year-old social science teacher from Mumbai. His initiative, Going Zero encourages plastic-free, cruelty-free and chemical-free, vegan, zero-waste products. “It is a platform where the small businesses, especially the eco-friendly ones get an opportunity (to showcase their products). But at the same time, what I am doing is eliminating plastic,” Singh claims.
He is also the founder of Eco Warriors India, a community working to conserve the environment. They strive to make their city greener and plastic-free by organising beach clean-up drives, tree plantation campaigns and initiating other water conservation projects. “When you have a lot of people around you supporting the cause you have undertaken, it leads to a domino effect,” Singh says.
In an exclusive conversation with Soulveda, Singh talks about his journey, the challenges he has faced, and what drives him to continue working for the environment.
You are involved in many environmental causes such as planting trees, organising clean-up drives, water conservation and climate change. What motivates you to do this work?
Motivation comes directly when you realise we are all connected to the same web of life. Being a social science teacher, what I do is very small when you look at the bigger picture. Think about it. By 2025 India would be the most populated country in the world. Now, the country needs a conscious population: people who are aware of what’s happening around them.
Among these causes, what are you most passionate about?
I want to touch people’s lives through my words and actions. I believe that everything is interlinked. Let’s say when I talk about water conservation, people only see one perspective, which is saving water. But it is inter-connected. Many people are going to get affected if there is no water. For example, farmers won’t be able to grow crops without it.
Currently, I am focussing on (plastic) waste. I promised myself that plastic is the one area that I wanted to focus on because most of the oxygen that we breathe comes from the ocean. Now plastic waste is being released into our oceans and seas, killing planktons. They are plant-like organisms that produce oxygen.
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