Plastic Pollution is not limited to just plastic soup floating in the oceans today, instead plastics are everywhere. Plastic, as we all know is a versatile product and is very cheap to produce; it is part of everyone’s daily life in one form or the other. Plastic is mass produced globally, and it stays ‘forever’ and that’s the problem! It may seem that discarded plastics (bottles, packaging materials) have broken down and disappeared, but the fact is that plastics may become brittle and disintegrate into millions of smaller pieces, but never fully disappear. Larger plastic pieces floating in oceans or strewn across land break down into smaller pieces due to sunlight, friction, oxidation, or animal nibbling. The smaller pieces breakdown further into microplastics and then further into nano plastics dissipating everywhere polluting the water we drink and the air we breathe.
These plastics in the environment are a serious health hazard for humans and animals alike and the issue must be dealt with on war footing. In recent times, there have been extensive discussions surrounding the recycling of plastics as a means to combat plastic pollution. The suggestion that recycling can solve the issue of plastic pollution is a myth as less than 10% of the world’s plastic is recycled and the output is mostly of inferior quality. Plastics used to make a product are not recycled to make the same product over again. For example, a food packaging plastic cannot be recycled in food packaging again, hence its downcycling at best. Downcycling does not eliminate the need for new or virgin plastic.
While the absolute solution to the issue of plastic pollution may be via scientific breakthroughs like inventing truly biodegradable materials that can replace plastic, we as people can contribute to this cause by bringing about changes in our usage patterns. We must eliminate use of unnecessary plastics from our lives; we need to question the need for a plastic product before we buy/use it.
The Indian hospitality industry has been getting active on sustainability and several hotel companies and other tourism related industries have announced their commitments & steps taken towards sustainable tourism. In 2021, Chalet Hotels became the first hospitality company across the globe to join all three Climate Group initiatives – RE100, EP100 and EV100, besides committing to minimizing single use plastics. To reduce usage of single use plastics, Chalet shifted from using single-use bathroom amenities in its hotels guest rooms to bulk-pack multi-use amenities in addition to banning plastic straws and installing water bottling plants replacing plastic-packaged water bottles with refillable glass bottles. These seemingly small efforts help reduce single-use plastics significantly. Several hotels, restaurants and airlines have moved away from using plastic cutlery and use biodegradable materials for food-packaging instead of plastics.
People get inspired by what they see during their travels. Most of us try to replicate or draw inspiration from the chic interiors of a hotel, stylishly designed spaces, eye catching food presentations and exotic cocktails. In general, people do get influenced by what they see while travelling and some observations stick. Hence, I feel, hotels serve as trendsetters and can play an important role in creating awareness amongst general populace besides participating in the cause themselves.
Hotels “reusing” things/ materials will encourage people to do the same. We must discard the “use-n-throw” culture and move to “use-and-reuse” mindset. Adoption of reusable cloth shopping-bags instead of plastic bags is one such example whereby this minor change of habit has helped significantly reduce accumulation of plastic waste in our environment. We all have seen drains, gutters and nallas choked with plastic waste and what havoc clogging of drains wreaks especially during monsoon. Similarly, practicing ethical sourcing and enforcing strict ESG criteria on vendors and suppliers, travel companies can ensure that their entire supply chain helps reduce plastic pollution.
Responsible tourism is essential for the Indian hospitality industry to combat plastic pollution. By embracing sustainable practices and reducing plastic waste, hotels can contribute to environmental preservation. Responsible tourism also attracts eco-conscious travellers, improves brand reputation, and fosters customer loyalty. It is an ongoing journey that requires innovation, collaboration, and adaptation. Together, we can create a resilient and environmentally conscious hospitality industry.
