Established facts. Yet, when we come away from a shop swinging our purchases in a plastic bag do we really pause to think about them? It is precisely this mindset which a group of organisations and committed individuals involved in action for the environment plan to change through the One Million Cloth Bags campaign. On the agenda are two main points - create awareness about the effects of plastic on the environment and reduce the use of plastic bags.

The campaign, a result of the combined efforts of organisations like the World Wide Fund for Nature, Kalpavriksha, Centre for Environment Education, Nisargavedh, Kirloskar Nature club and environmentally-conscious individuals like artist Sarita Pungaliya has been launched this month and is still in its preliminary stage. ``We want to motivate citizens to reduce the use of plastic in the long run. The most immediate need though is to reduce the use of plastic carry bags and encourage the use of alternatives like cloth,''says Aanchal Sondhi of Kalpavriksh. And to drive home their message the campaign has planned a host of interesting activities which will involve citizens and NGO networks. ``An initial survey of the attitude of consumers has been carried out and we are also studying the alternatives to plastic like paper or cloth bags,'' she adds.

The idea of a sustained campaign took root when environmental organisations came together for an eco-friendly fair, Dharti '98, at the University of Pune last year. ``A lot of like-minded people got together. We were all supposed to bring our own cloth bags along at the venue and even stitched cloth bags as part of a workshop,'' says Sondhi. Realising the need to spread awareness about the use of plastic bags, the idea for a campaign soon began to take shape. The list of activities lined up include involving school children into the campaign.

``We plan to contact nature clubs and groups who run environmental programmes in schools who can have another craft activity. For instance students could be made to compare advantages and disadvantages of plastic bags using a beam balance with one side designated as Advantage and another as Disadvantage. Students can design their own cloth bags. The objective is to make students aware about the solid waste management in the city, specially focussing on the issue of plastic bags,'' says Sondhi. A mobile poster exhibition is already in place.

The corporate world too can do more towards a plastic-free world. The campaign plans to approach companies with the idea of promoting the idea of a company cloth bag and encouraging employees to reducing plastic bag use. Other activities that they plan to include are a cloth bag design competition inviting entries from citizens, consumer awards where citizens can suggest the best packaging material they have come across.

A consumer fair promoting lifestyles more in tune with the needs of sustainable development and roping in sewing machine companies in the organisation of a fair which will allow people to try your machines to stitch their own bags would also contribute to creating awareness.

Emphasising the need for public awareness, Kiran Purandare of Nisargavedh says,``It is essential to make citizens aware of the problems that are created wherever they throw plastic. Not only does it create visual pollution, it can pose a serious threat to animals. Last year a black buck was found dead in the animal orphanage at the Katraj Snake Park. Later on it was discovered that it had consumed a plastic bag along with groundnuts that some visitor had thrown in.'' Purandare who has, through Nisargavedh, already conducted a drive against the use of plastic bags in Bhimashankar hopes this campaign will create awareness among citizens.

``We as citizens need to reject plastic and use cloth bags wherever possible, reduce the use of plastic bags, reuse plastic bags whenever possible and recycle plastic bags.It is now up to conscious citizens committed to a better environment, to take up the cause,'' he says. Here's one campaign that should make citizens stop, think and yes, act.