An eco-friendly temple in Mylapore, India, no longer allows plastic items within its doors. The ban has been set by government and is spreading to include more temples in the state of Tamil Nadu.
What’s the Ban?
Instead of bringing plastic carry bags into temples, devotees are asked to use more eco-friendly methods, such as bamboo baskets. These are usually provided at the temple doors so that people can use them for the duration of their time there. In the Kapali temple in Mylapore, more than 500 baskets have already been donated.
The ban has occurred a year after the government stated that plastic bags would be prohibited due to how they clog the temple drains. It has also been said that plastic litter ruins the beauty of the temples. This becomes especially troubling when one takes into account that the temples are ancient, so they need to be well looked after – the Brihadeeswarar Temple or ‘Big Temple’ is even a UNESCO heritage site.
Stop Selling Plastic!
Temples now have signs outside telling people not to bring plastic within their doors. But it doesn’t stop there. The plastic prohibition is set to spread, involving surrounding areas. Executive Officers have been told to meet with shopkeepers running commercial outlets in close proximity to the temples to continue the practice against plastic. If shopkeepers stop selling plastic, this will help to prevent plastic from finding its way around temples.
A Country Against Plastic
This is not the first time that plastic has been banned in a region in India. Back in 2009, all plastic bags were banned in the city of New Delhi. The law was challenged, but even though enforcement is sometimes problematic, the capital still completely bans plastic bags. This is a good thing as New Delhi, which houses 17 million people, produces 1.2 million pounds of plastic waste every day!
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