Bengalureans celebrated World environment day by contributing towards tree planting and getting an eco-friendly cloth bag in return. Citizen Matters in association with Prakruthi, an NGO focusing on ‘eco centric infotainment’ held this event at Jayanagar shopping complex on 5 June 2012.

Organisers and celebrity with the eco friendly bag. Meera k (from right) Co-founder of Citizen Matters, M S Prasad, co-founder of Prakruthi, Prakash Mendoth Jayanagar Trade Association President, Vasundhara das actress and singer. Pic: Sankar C G

The green event got a touch of glamour with actor-singer Vasundhara Das, actor, Bhavna, actor – singer Sunil Raoh and actor and television anchor Malavika Avinash handing out the autographed cloth bags. The bags said ‘ I love Bengaluru.’

Co-founder of Citizen Matters, a Bangalore based newsmagazine, Meera K, hopes that Bengaluru switches out of using plastic bags. “This is a small start to our goal to provide convenient alternatives to plastic covers. Though it was common to taking your own jute or woven bags when you left home for shopping years back, the ubiquitous presence of plastic carry bags available virtually free have spoilt us,” she says.

A citizen buying the eco friendly bag. Pic: Sankar C G

Citizen Matters also has plans to provide different types of shopping bags to make it easy for consumers to switch out of plastic. Sponsors like McAfee, Vittal Mallya Science Research Foundation (VMSRF), The Green Path, an eco tourism and organic food catering company and Manomay Enterprises, a multi-brand organic retail shop, have contributed to keep the price of the bags very low and attractive to shoppers.

Meera adds ‘“we plan to provide different types of shopping bags to make it easy for consumers to switch out of plastic. The contribution from our sponsors has helped us keep the price of the bags very low and attractive to shoppers.”

Vasundara das signs the eco friendly bag for a citizen. Pic: Sankar C G

Shoppers at the complex were initially drawn in by the celebrities but soon green talk was all around.  Actor-singer, Vasundhara  said “I do not use plastic bags and encourage others to use eco friendly plastic free bags,”  Sunil, Bhavna and Malavika too interacted with the visitors and talked about the importance of going green.

M S Prasad, co-founder of Prakruthi feels there should be more such events to create awareness. “We expect to have similar events in future too, by joining hands with Citizen Matters as a service to the society. Though many people visited the spot only few have bought the bag. It shows the lack of awareness of public over environmental issues,” says Prasad.

Jayanagar Trade Association President Prakash Mendoth  also actively participated in the campaigning. Visitors were encouraged to start using cloth bags instead of plastic. “Our environment, we have actually borrowed from our children. So we need to give it back without any damage. We don’t use plastic bags and do as much as to save our environment,” said Rashmi R Kumar, a visitor.⊕