Have you ever imagined a world without oceans? Hard to picture, right? Our beautiful blue oceans cover over 70% of the Earth and are home to the most amazing creatures and ecosystems. That’s why World Oceans Day, celebrated every year on 8 June, is so important. In 2024, the theme is Catalyzing Action for Our Ocean & Climate. It’s all about encouraging everyone, especially young people like you, to take action that helps our oceans thrive while tackling climate change.

Why Should We Care about the Oceans?

Our oceans do a lot more than just make our planet look pretty from space. They produce half of the oxygen we breathe, help feed millions of people, and regulate our climate by absorbing carbon dioxide. Plus, they’re the playground for dolphins, whales, and millions of other fascinating species! But our oceans are in trouble — from pollution, overfishing, and the effects of climate change like rising temperatures and acidifying waters. That’s why taking care of them isn’t just important — it’s essential.

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In a bid to tackle river and ocean pollution in India, Hong Kong-based marine technology start-up, Clearbot, is launching a fleet of larger solar-powered autonomous boats.

Clearbot previously deployed 13 boats capable of collecting up to 250 kg of plastic waste daily for projects in Hong Kong and India. Each of their new self-driving electric boats collects approximately 500 kg of plastic waste and other debris from the river and ocean. The boats collect waste from the surface of the water and deposit it in designated areas for collection and recycling.

Founded by University of Hong Kong graduates in 2019, Clearbot harnesses solar power for its fleet, thus eliminating carbon emissions associated with conventional diesel-powered vessels that traditionally perform these tasks.

India contributes approximately 13 per cent of global ocean plastic. With at least 11 million tonnes of plastic entering oceans annually, initiatives like Clearbot’s represent vital steps toward alleviating environmental degradation.

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D2C startup, BECO, develops and manufactures 100% natural and plastic-free consumer goods in the kitchen, home, and personal care space. Founded by Aditya Ruia, Anuj Ruia and Akshay Varma, BECO makes a sustainable lifestyle easily accessible to all Indians. It provides affordable and eco-friendly alternatives to single-use products such as napkins, toilet paper, tissue rolls and more. BECO recently launched its first-ever 94% plastic-free and 100% recyclable tetra-pak packaging for cleaning solutions.

In this exclusive interview, BECO’s co-founder, Aditya Ruia, talks to NEHA KIRPAL about their process, products, and plans for the future.

Tell us how you develop and manufacture natural and plastic-free consumer goods.
AR: As a sustainable brand, we want consumers to slowly eliminate non-biodegradable items from their homes. Our products, like tissue rolls, kitchen towels, and other normally plastic goods such as toothbrushes are made from bamboo. Bamboo is a strong, durable fibre that is a better alternative to trees that are felled for paper. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on the planet. We source the raw material from North East India.

In terms of kitchen and personal cleaning solutions, we identify non-toxic chemicals. This ensures that all our products are biodegradable and compostable. The biggest benefit of using non-toxic chemicals in cleaning products is that they prevent health issues for those handling them.

Tell us about your affordable and eco-friendly alternatives.
AR: Single-use plastic is one of the largest reasons for environmental degradation. The genesis of BECO goes back to a time when the three of us were part of a beach clean-up drive in Mumbai. We discovered a plastic wrapper, which belonged to a chocolate whose circulation was discontinued back in the 1990s. We wanted to address the pain point afflicting Indian consumers: lack of awareness and availability as well as the ill-affordable options. Starting BECO was our response to this gap.

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In the heart of Maharashtra’s coastal breeze, 17-year-old dreamer, Haaziq Kazi, sets sail on a mission to cleanse our oceans and chart a course towards a sustainable future. Fuelled by a passion for environmental conservation, Haaziq has embarked on a remarkable journey to create a ship capable of extracting plastic waste from the world’s oceans.

Haaziq was just 9 when in 2013 he saw a photograph of a dead whale washed ashore that had died due to an intestinal blockage. He later learned that there are 5 trillion pieces of plastic in the ocean, and it is enough to go to the moon and back twice, and that’s what inspired him to start his dream project.

At just 12, Haaziq has demonstrated a level of commitment and vision that is both impressive and inspiring. His brainchild, his prototype ship named ERVIS, is designed to tackle the pressing issue of plastic pollution in our oceans. The name ERVIS likely carries a significant meaning, perhaps a combination of environmental and vision, symbolizing Haaziq’s dedication to a cleaner, more sustainable future.

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The 50th World Environment Day is around the corner, and it’s time to take a closer look at a critical issue that affects all of us: plastic pollution. It’s hard to fathom, but humanity produces a jaw-dropping 430 million tonnes of plastic each year. Even more concerning is that two-thirds of this plastic is made up of short-lived products that quickly become waste, contaminating our land and oceans and eventually entering our food chain. It’s crucial to join forces and address this crisis to protect the planet for future generations.

The painful reality of mountains, beaches and land being transformed into rubbish dumps due to plastic waste accumulation is becoming more prevalent. The mounting levels of plastic pollution are threatening the survival of life. Plastic is often mistaken for food by animals, which can cause harm to their health as well as ours. It is absolutely imperative to take proactive measures to prevent this situation from spiralling out of control. Failure to do so could result in catastrophic consequences for the environment, human health, and the Earth’s natural beauty.

But fear not! The situation isn’t all doom and gloom. Working together makes it possible to effect change and overcome this crisis. The 50th World Environment Day offers the perfect opportunity to raise awareness, initiate action and explore solutions to tackle the plastic pollution crisis.

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‘Give us plastic waste, drink tea in return’, invites a tea stall near the famous Kumbhalgarh Fort in Rajasthan.

Bhaga Singh weighs the waste plastic he receives at his tea stall on his weighing machine. The 31-year-old vendor then offers tea and a samosa in a paper cup and plate to the customer in return for one kilo of waste plastic. By doing this, the chaiwala is making a humble initiative to make the area plastic-free. The waste plastic he collects is given to the waste collectors.

“I don’t do it for profit; but for a plastic-free Kumbhalgarh,” says the young man from Kelwara village. Located near the Aravalli Hills, Kumbhalgarh Fort has a 36 km long wall, said to be the second-longest wall after the Great Wall of China. The World Heritage Site attracts a large number of tourists who dump a lot of plastic. Bhaga’s village alone generates more than 2,000 kgs of waste every month, with 527 kgs of plastic alone.

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Hailing from Delhi, the intelligent and well-spoken Ishan Kapur, a student of Wellington College, England, has received US$800 grant from Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programmes (Bow Seat), an international non-profit organization whose mission is to engage youth in ocean conservation and creative advocacy. Ishan was selected as a Fellowship grantee from nearly 70 applicants worldwide. The grant and ongoing mentorship will help support Ishan’s project, Mats that Matter by The Blue Voice, which aims to reduce plastic pollution in local waterways as well as among the marginalized populations in the city.

Ishan has also been recognised with the highest accolade a young person can achieve for social action or humanitarian efforts —The Diana Award 2021.

Ishan Kapur has his own country very much on his mind — regarding marine conservation and supporting the less fortunate. All the credit goes to his parents as Ishan admits that he follows what he has been taught at home from his childhood and is inspired by this.

The 16-year-old student explains to VIRGINIA VACHA how he got this special grant at such a young age.

In which school in England are you currently studying and what subjects are you taking up?
I am studying in grade 11 at Wellington College, Crowthorne, Berkshire, U.K. and aspire to study subjects like economics, international relations, and policy-making in college in the future.

When did the idea of turning plastic waste into mats occur to you?
Growing up in an environmentally-conscious household, I was always taught to reuse, reduce and recycle. When I learned about the ‘Matting Change Project’ started by a teenager in the U.S., I was inspired to apply the same ideals to meet the needs of our own country. So I started an initiative to crochet sleeping mats for the homeless using single-use plastic bags.

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Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic products in the environment that adversely affects wildlife and humans. Today it has become a critical problem. One of the best ways to solve this problem is the construction of plastic roads. These are roads made either entirely of plastic or of composites of plastic with other materials. The use of plastic in roads opens a new option for recycling post-consumer plastics. This would help to reduce the burden of plastic on Earth; this idea has already spread to Jharkhand. Let us rename earth ‘Blue Planet’ from ‘Plastic Planet’.
Aishlee Joshi (14)
St Joseph’s Convent School, Jalandhar

Yes, we need to take some serious measures in order to deal with this environmental issue. The best way is to reuse and recycle. But how? Use of a polyblend, a mixture of plastic and charcoal, makes roads all the more durable, even during the rainy season. Plastic bottles and boxes could be put to use as decorative vases, etc. Big plastic containers could make a little kitchen garden; smaller ones can make plant pots. Plastic is pretty durable, so polyethylene bags could be used to patch things together. We can also reduce plastic usage by using cloth bags; steel and glass containers in place of plastic.
Riya Lalwani (18)
Ajmer, Rajasthan

Plastic is going to destroy the earth! The first thing you can do is simply say ‘no’ to plastic. Students can say ‘no’ to use and throw plastic pens, ‘no’ to plastic bottles of soft drinks, and ‘no’ to plastic bags. Although plastic bags are banned, some careless citizens are still using them; they should be made aware of the harmful effects of plastic on our environment and encouraged to use cloth or jute or paper bags. We cannot totally eliminate the use of plastic but we can control it. So stop saying “carry bag, please”!
Sejal Shingne (16)
Fatima Convent School, Achalpur

Plastic is considered to be among the most dangerous items responsible for environmental degradation. But do we really think that by not using plastic we can actually control its harmful effects? Avoiding a problem is no solution. Instead we can use plastic but to its minimum capacity and use it wisely. Plastic can be useful if used sensibly. Every article or material on this earth is equally good or bad, just the right and proper technique of use is what is required. Reduce, reuse and recycle — three ways make plastic a boon. Let’s accept it straight, a world without plastic is not possible. We need plastic. We need nature. BE SENSIBLE.
Moksha Sharma (19)
Thakur College of Science and Commerce, Mumbai

Just one question arises in my mind: Is plastic a boon or a bane? We should call the present age the ‘plastic age’. Plastic was created as a boon but now has become a threat to the environment. One of the most common items made from plastic are bags whose effect on the environment is really quite devastating. Even though they are convenient, the damage they cause needs to be controlled. The best way is to use paper bags and cloth bags rather than using plastic bags and we also need to spread the awareness of using them. We can make a huge change and help the environment by going clean and green.
Harshita Verma (13)
St Joseph’s Convent School, Jalandhar

Plastic bags have become a common sight; they’re stuck in trees, blowing around parks, floating in the lakes. Saving our environment from this situation is not only the work of the government. It should start with us individuals. Avoid plastic bags and instead use jute bags or if possible simply carry items in your hands! Also try to find a thrift store to recycle your plastic bags. There are government schemes to save the environment from these bags; one can make a great contribution by strictly implementing these schemes. Avoid burning plastic bags and educate others to prevent them from doing so. Spread as much awareness as you can among students and the youth through social media. Make the earth fantastic; say ‘no’ to plastic!
Gurleen Kaur Chona (20)
PGDAV College, New Delhi

Plastic is found virtually everywhere these days. It has made our environment squalid and has remarkably affected our planet. We can bring about change in small ways. Instead of using plastic bags we can carry our own shopping bags. Instead of purchasing plastic water bottles, we can refill our own bottles. Don’t use a plastic straw while having a drink as they are single use items. We also need to say ‘no’ to disposable cutlery as well. We need to ‘kill plastic’ or else it will kill us.
Kritika Verma (14)
St Joseph’s Convent School, Jalandhar

Plastic has become a part and parcel of our lives. Sometimes it is hard to imagine life without plastic. Did you ever wonder why we use plastic? We use this slow-acting poison because it is durable, lightweight and economical. An alternative material that is similar to plastic but safe for our environment could be developed. The second way is to spread awareness; people need to comprehend the bad effects of using plastics; then only can we minimize its usage. We can form organizations at the local level to conduct awareness programmes. At last, I would conclude by saying, it is not yours, not mine…it is ours. So, let us take the initiative and save our Mother Earth.
Dhanya Jha
St Francis Convent Inter College, Jhansi

The discovery of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the largest accumulation of ocean plastic in the world located between Hawaii and California, has set the alarm bells ringing for humanity. The solution lies in minimising plastic usage, ditching non-reusable plastic and practising waste segregation before disposal. Himachal Pradesh has routed plastic by choosing cloth bags and enforcing penalties on plastic users. Ahmad Khan from Bangalore has a functional plant that mixes waste polymers with bitumen and uses plastic for road construction. There’s an open invitation to aspiring entrepreneurs to leverage the Start Up India mission to develop recyclable plastic and other alternatives.
Shailja Pandey (20)
Nainital

Plastic pollution has become an epidemic these days. We use enough plastic to wrap around earth four times over! One of the reasons that plastic pollution is such a problem is that it doesn’t go away — plastics are forever. Instead, plastic debris simply breaks down into ever-smaller particles, known as microplastics, whose environmental impacts are still being determined. We as individuals can reduce this by reducing the single use of plastics, recycling, helping organisations addressing plastic pollution, supporting the plastic ban, and spreading awareness. So this Environment Day, let’s all take a pledge to reduce the use of plastics to whatever extent one can. Together, we can make this earth a better place to live in!
Nafisa Huzefa Sabir (17)
Independent Jr College Rural Institute, Amravati

Plastic pollution has become a big hazard for mankind as well as wildlife. Tons of plastic debris are discarded every year, everywhere, polluting lands, rivers, coasts, beaches, and oceans. According to a survey, every year, 8 million metric tons of plastic end up in our oceans. By 2025, the annual input is estimated to be about twice or greater and the statistics are growing, staggeringly. Recently, an Indonesian company has invented a bag which seems to be of plastic but it is dissolvable in water, and is biodegradable. We have to stop using plastic bags and start using biodegradable bags with immediate effect.
Prathmesh Kamra (15)
Notre Dame School, New Delhi

Plastic bags have become detrimental to our environment .The measures I think we should take in order to save our Mother Earth are: We should replace the use of plastic bags with jute and cotton bags. We have to educate people about the deadly effects of plastic on our environment. And, we should follow the 3 Rs — Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
Aishwarya Chakraborty (18)
Gokhale Memorial Girl’s College, Kolkata

Plastic is non-biodegradable. It doesn’t decompose naturally, and we know how badly plastic harms the environment if we burn it. Use of jute, paper and cloth bags is a must. If you go to any restaurant, e.g., KFC or Harilals, you will see that they pack food in plastic containers. We need to avoid the use of plastic as much as possible. Everything has a positive and negative impact, plastic is convenient but we should not cross the limit.
Shafaque Seraj
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Jethuli, Patna

Plastic is very harmful for our environment. If burned it release toxins like monoxide and dioxins into the air. If animals eat it, it causes death due to choking. Plastic bags thrown into the ocean leads to the death of marine life. Jute or cloth bags should be used instead of plastic bags. Smaller and lighter items can be carried in newspaper bags. Do not accept plastic bags from shops. Follow the 3Rs: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle.
Naureen (13)
St Joseph’s Convent School, Jalandhar

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Every year, we throw away enough plastic to circle the Earth four times. Much of that waste ends up in our oceans, where it’s responsible for killing 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals every year. For the good of the planet, it’s time to rethink how we use plastic. Read on to get the facts and learn how you can ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’.

Plastic Pollution Facts

Every year, the world uses 500 billion plastic bags.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), nearly 300 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year.

At least 13 million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans, each year.

In the last decade, the world produced more plastic than in the whole last century.

One of the world’s biggest plastic waste generators, India produces nearly 56 lakh tonnes of plastic annually.

Out of all the plastic we use, 50% is single-use or disposable.

1 million plastic bottles are bought every minute around the world.

Disposable plastic items represent 50% of marine litter.

95% of disposable plastic packaging is wasted.

Plastic can survive in the environment for up to 500 years.

Recycling plastic takes 88% less energy than making new plastic.

Source: worldenvironmentday.global

Did you know that in 1869 John Hyatt invented the first synthetic plastic called ‘celluloid’ for the noble purpose of replacing ivory in the making of billiards balls, so that wild elephants were not killed for their tusks?

Plastic was invented with good intentions! But over the years it has crept into everything. ‘Single-use’ plastic (things that are used only once and thrown away, such as plastic spoons, straws, water bottles, coffee stirrers) reared its ugly head.

The problem with plastic is that it remains in the environment for hundreds and hundreds of years piling up and poisoning our planet as it leaches its chemicals into the soil and water.

Plastic has managed to reach the most remote corners of the Earth, killing millions of animals that consume them, but its most devastating effects can be seen in our oceans where tonnes of garbage have collected and created ‘islands’ of toxic trash.

Palak Gupta, a 24-year-old artist, says, “The animals I have drawn here are either threatened or endangered, and the plastic bags around their heads, are just adding to their miseries. But we can change this by cutting down our plastic consumption. In fact, make your own cloth bags. Use old scrap cloth. Not only is it fun, you can make your bag look the way you want it to.”

India hosts World Environment Day 2018 World Environment Day, a UN Environment-led global event that takes place on June 5 every year, is the single largest celebration of our environment. It is a day for everyone to take ownership of their environment and to actively engage in the protection of our earth. India is the global host of World Environment Day 2018. This year’s theme, ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’, urges governments and individuals to come together and explore sustainable alternatives to urgently reduce the production and excessive use of single-use plastic polluting our oceans, damaging marine life and threatening human health. “Indian philosophy and lifestyle has long been rooted in the concept of co-existence with nature. If each and every one of us does at least one green good deed daily towards our Green Social Responsibility, there will be billions of green good deeds daily on the planet,” says Dr Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Source: worldenvironmentday.global

But it’s not a hopeless situation. Each one of us CAN help to stop this human addiction to plastic. Here are some easy ways to start:

Say ‘no’ to straws
Plastic straws are used on a large scale and usually end up in our oceans. A distressing video of a sea turtle with a plastic straw lodged deep in its nose recently went viral. Refuse plastic straws and ask your friends and family to do the same. The next time you have a juice or coconut water and are offered a straw, just refuse it and explain why you did.

Befriend a bottle
Don’t leave home without a reusable water bottle and you will never have to buy a plastic one again. If you have old plastic bottles, reuse them or turn them into pen stands or bird feeders… or better still, grow plants in them!

Grab a bag
When you know you’re going to the shops — carry your own bag. When buying food or drink, take a steel or reusable plastic container with you. When out shopping for clothes and shoes, take a backpack. A sudden purchase? Make sure your handbag always has a foldable shopping bag inside. Where there is a will, there is a way — recently a shop, Ecoposro, in Goa, went ‘trash free’. It can be done!

Consume less
Buy less plastic. Buy it only when you really have to. Recycle! The less plastic you use, the less plastic ends up in landfills and in our oceans.

Take care of yourself
Synthetic plastics release toxins into the food and drink that it contains, creating serious health complications such as cancer. For your health and that of the planet, use eco-friendly alternatives to plastic.

Drive the change! Make sure your parents, teachers and friends join the good fight against plastic pollution, too.

Text: Sanctuary Nature Foundation

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