Page 214 - Vogue - India (January 2020)

REFUSE, DON’T JUST RECYCLE2

1 can refuse it, you don’t need to reduce, rethink, reuse, repair, repurpose or recycle it.
In the pecking order of the green movement, refuse precedes everything. If you

Recycling today is a crumbling industry with a single-digit success rate. Shop if you
must, but boycott blind consumerism—it doesn’t make the world a happier place.
“We can aim to reduce our own footprint

TRY A GREEN
with a diet that involves importing less,
reducing consumption, reusing whenever
PERIOD

in a shared economy by renting or swapping.”
On average, a woman uses over possible, mending what is broken and engaging
10,000 tampons or sanitary pads
during her lifetime. In India, we — CÉLINE SEMAAN
dispose of over 43.2 crore pads
every year, creating 9,000 tonnes DESIGNER AND FOUNDER, SLOW FACTORY
of waste. While alternatives
exist—environmentally friendly
brands like Carmesi and TAKE A FRIDAY OFF TO
Heyday, reusable zero-
chemical pads by Rebelle and SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY
EcoFemme—it’s the menstrual
mindset that needs a reboot. In 2020, Green Friday is the new Black Friday. As a wise
The next time you wrinkle your 16-year-old taught us, our biggest strength lies in numbers.
nose at a menstrual cup—the Sign up on Fridaysforfuture.com, Greta Thunberg’s multi-city
rinse-and-reuse silicone cup that climate strike movement that mobilises youth across 130
lasts up to 10 years—consider countries to raise environmental awareness. Or start your own
that if your great-great-great- community-run eco crusade. Designing posters, interacting
great grandmum had used a with green minds and raising awareness is thrilling enough, but
sanitary napkin 500 years ago, your ultimate motivation should be the realisation that if more
that plastic would still be here. people come together in support, corporations and politicians
will be bound to see the environment as a big issue.

4 ASK FOR ALTERNATIVES

So you’ve replaced the plastic bottles at home with CGH Earth’s Marari Beach Resort’s no
glass? Now do the same outside. At hotels, ask for a plastic bottles or straws rule has prevented
fi ltered water jug instead of plastic bottles from the 1,09,528 plastic bottles and 36,250 straws
minibar. And frequent fl yers, carry your own toiletries.
from annually polluting the earth.

5 PLASTIC FREE 6 INSPIRE A FRIEND 7 SAVE A TREE
BUILD YOUR

ARSENAL Even if you’re militant about
your plastic usage, depending
Always carry a cloth on paper isn’t the way to go.
bag in your car for any Tissues and used paper towels
unplanned shopping. cannot be recycled the way
A simple post or a subtle action like refusing a printed paper can. Switch to
Carry a co ee cup, spoon, straw at lunch can get your companion thinking. cloth instead of disposable
plate and water bottle on While gifting, support green brands or initiate cleaning wipes. In hotels, use
long trips to eliminate the consciousness in a friend’s life by buying them reusable towels and hand
need for single-use plastic. a zero-waste starter kit, available for everything dryers over paper. In o ce,
from grocery-shopping to growing greens. print on both sides with a SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
single-space setting.

212 VOGUE INDIA JANUARY www.vogue.in