Pioneers of several campaigns have stressed that facts and figures drive people to pay attention to several practices that could result in dire consequences. In accordance with this well established practice, I would like to state the following statistics. Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide which comes out to over one million per minute. Billions end up as litter each year or in landfills. In addition, almost 3 million tons of plastic are used to bottle water each year worldwide out of which 80 percent are not recycled. In conclusion, we are drowning in plastic, people! If I am not mistaken, that could be an inconvenience.
The Bring Your Own Bag Daily campaign is back and invites students to participate in a movement to reduce plastic consumption among the student population. The campaign consists of Bring Your Own Bag Daily Week, an attempt to enforce the importance of reducing the use of plastic bags and the overall objectives of the campaign via exhibition booths with interactive games and Green Ambassadors at the various stores from 28th to 30th January 2013 at Canopy N, in addition to the collection of 10 additional cents from students for the provision of plastic bags for purchases from the various supply and grocery stores on campus.
Students are aware that the ever-increasing consumption of plastic may prove detrimental for the environment. However, sheer laziness and convenience lead students to ignore the consequences of using plastic bags on a daily basis. We, at Earthlink NTU believe that increasing awareness on the significance of bringing your own bag or using a reusable bag as well as stressing them to take a glimpse into a world where plastic bags replace flora and fauna could help bring a positive change in students “! mindsets. The main objective of the campaign is to encourage the practice of bringing your own plastic bags for shipping and to advocate the usage of re-usable bags among the NTU population.
Nevertheless we also believe that education must be fun. The BYOBD Week includes information booths, interactive games, a photo taking booth and a lucky draw for participants which would impart knowledge as well as be engaging. Hence, we hope the NTU population actively supports this campaign and aids us in eliminating plastic bags which would result in NTU being the first university to achieve this phenomenal feat.
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