A Mission by Shilpi Aggarwal, Architect, +91-9662004835, ashilpi8@gmail

1. Start carrying your own cloth bag A Mission by Shilpi Aggarwal, Architect, +91-9662004835, ashilpi8@gmail.com

2. Objectives of this mission • Eliminate use of polythene, which is not environment friendly • Generate employment for under privileged/needy people • Drive awareness and bring back the habit of carrying our own bags

3. Target of the Project - Control on less than 20 micron polythene bags • Users • Vegetable vendors, Provision stores & Bakery shopkeepers • Requirement • Right quality and size, in affordable rates comparable to existing plastic bags • Process • Landing cost of cloth bag = Rs. 3.0/- per bag • Launch prize of the bag = Rs 0.25/- per bag • This helped sabji-wala’s to come forward and try • Bringing back the bags by residents motivated the acceptance of bags in vendors • On demand of residents, vegetable vendors and shopkeepers, Size of the bag is increased @ Rs 0.50-1.0/- per bag

4. Fabric Preferred - Cotton Grey • Porous, biodegradable, hygienic • Suitable in all weather conditions • Available on reasonable rates • Encourages cotton industry

5. We have started… Will you join us?

6. Progress • Controlled about 3000 polythene bags/day • 20 people engaged in stitching • 7 vegetable vendors and 7 provision stores have started using cloth bags • In areas of Pratapgunj, Fatehgunj & Alkapuri • 80% of Pratapgunj residents are back in the habit of carrying their own bags • In support, Sterling health mall has stopped providing plastic glasses for drinking during workouts • Members bring their own water bottles • Approx. 1000 glasses/day consumption is now controlled

7. Response - Nov 2009 to Feb 2010 • 75% consumers are accepting the concept • Habit to bring back the bags for next purchase will take time • Vendors and shopkeepers are also enthusiastically coming forward • Limitation of pricing is stopping them to switch from plastic to cloth bags. • Vegetable vendor - ready to accept till Rs.1/- • Provision store - ready to accept till Rs.2/-

8. Localities picking up the mission • Started in Nov 09 from Pratapgunj (Vadodara) • By Shilpi Aggarwal • Extended to Fatehgunj & Alkapuri • In Dec 09 Vasna Road (Vadodara) • By Mrs. Kalpana Bhatt • In Jan 10 Khar, Lokhandwala (Mumbai) • By Samapti Patel • President, Giant Group of Juhu, Mumbai

9. Media Coverage

10. How government can help? • Commercial • Fund cost of production • Aid procurement of raw material on subsidized or discounted rates • Implementation • Embrace cotton bags in Public Distribution System (PDS shops) • Volunteers for promotion of the mission amongst shopkeepers and households • Synergise with efforts from Municipal Corporation and other govt. environment bodies

11. Please contact: • In Vadodara: • Shilpi Aggarwal, Architect +91-9662004835, ashilpi8@gmail.com • Mrs. Kalpana Bhatt, Senior Citizen +91-9898106283, bhattkalpana@yahoo.com • In Mumbai: • Samapti Patel, President, Giant Group of Juhu +91-9322244546, samknp@gmail.com

12. Thank You