Just as the people around the globe are trying to make an effort to go green and plastic free, the world’s largest food company, Nestle, recently introduced their new packaging in Pakistan for Fruita Vitals (juice), replacing their cartons with plastic. And such a move made by an internationally known company is a let-down.
Like any other product, it has been promoted through the television and billboard advertisements and probably, the most worrisome factor is that it is high in demand. With some unaware and many unbothered of the fact that how toxic the use of plastic for our environment is, how unhealthy it is for the future of this planet, there does not seem to be a significant decline in its sales either.
Even though there were a few posts on social media criticizing the new Nestle packaging, however, the outrage was not loud enough to halt its supply.
Plastic can take centuries to decompose since it is non-biodegradable and most plastic cannot be recycled which is another major drawback. Things like plastic bottles or any other plastic container of any product is often non-reusable or even if it is useful, after a short period of time, it is to be thrown away. And so, more the plastic is disposed of, the more it is collected on land or in the water, polluting the environment and eventually harming the various natural habitats on our planet.
Starbucks plans to replace plastic straws with biodegradable paper straws and starwless lids.
Likewise, an international furniture retailer, IKEA, aims to use materials that are renewable and recycled for its production by 2030 in order to minimize their role in despoiling the environment.
In Pakistan too, a lot is being done nowadays to tackle global warming. There have been a lot of projects regarding the plantation of trees in a large number in specific areas or in general. Many people, including the politicians, are now talking about ways to make our surroundings healthier.
A Pakistani clothing brand, Sapphire, introduced shopping bags made up of the cotton production leftovers which are embedded with seeds. Its packaging can be used like regular seeds to grow plants. This is not only to avoid the use of plastic but also to later utilitilise its packaging rather than laying it to waste and taint the atmosphere.
All in all, an effort is being made by many companies on national and international level in order to take part in countering the root causes of global warming. However, no matter the reason, with the continuation of such production out in the market like of Nestle Fruita Vitals, it is not going to aid us to proceed forward with "going green" nor it is going to help in making the ignorant to wake up and tackle the environmental issues.
Already many of our environmental obstacles are not taken seriously into account by a number of people. People who are safe in their comfort zones, far away from the time or place where they are likely to be the victims of extreme global warming, do not seem to be interested or do much to deal with the problem. What needs to be realised is that even if our actions are not going to make a lot of difference in our lifetime, it will definitely meliorate the environment for our future generations.