The NGO Initiative That Replaced Over 1000 Plastic Bags With Cloth Bags

While the plastic ban initiative has been taking shape in Maharashtra and the state is expected to ban all sales, possession and manufacturing of all kinds of plastic bags and packaging by 18th March, a group of 20 environmentally conscious citizens are running a campaign ‘Bag for Cause’ to do their bit to save the mother nature.

No matter how old you get the art of receiving a gift is always exciting. Using this as positive reinforcement a Mumbai based NGO Green Yatra has incentivized waste recycling by asking Mumbaikars to donate their waste and taking home a cotton, cloth or jute bag in return. So far the initiative has collected about 100 tonnes of plastic, electronic as well as other recyclable waste from all domestic households in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and returned that favor by gifting over 20,000 bags.

The main aim is to eliminate the use of plastic bags and ultimately reduce the amount of marine litter that is creating a imbalance in the ecosystem. While the initiative is primarily discouraging plastic, it’s taken it two steps forward in empowering underprivileged and tribal women by setting up training centers in Wada, Jawhar, Manor, Dahanu, Kalyan and Karjat where women design and stitch the eco-friendly bags that can carry up to 15kg of weight and are GST free.

That’s not it, with 20 permanent members and over 1,000 volunteers all over the city, Green Yatra has planted over 1.3 lakh fruit trees across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region since 2010. They are helping the Mumbaikars take small steps towards a brighter and greener future.

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