Wishing you an eco-joyous Ganesh Chaturthi with an abundance of love , joy and blessings .
Littering is probably thought of as the unwritten Constitutional right in India. People from all strata of society – educated / uneducated – litter public spaces. The ridiculous expectation being that the civic authorities are to clean up the litter 24/7. No country can be clean if it’s citizens litter public spaces the way Indians do.
It’s a peculiar mind set where only one’s home is considered important . Residential building compounds also have litter thrown by residents from their kitchens , balconies. Public spaces beyond the building are fair game for disposing any kind of garbage . As a result – roads , footpaths , train tracks , stations , bus stands all are teeming with garbage. Even the countryside is not spared. Take a road trip through most parts of India – you’ll see the familiar sight of plastic bags , bottles , wrappers thoughtlessly tossed everywhere.
A Clean India is possible if WE – THE CITIZENS OF INDIA – choose to make it happen . Free of litter – India can be one of the most beautiful countries in the world.
As responsible citizens lets create a country we can be proud of . Stop littering , stop others from littering .
India kuch kar !
‘It looks so fake ! ‘ was the response of a team member who saw this pic taken from the hotel room on a recent visit to Japan. What she meant was that in comparison to India this looks too clean to be real . To get this neat a picture of a public space in India would require formidable Photoshop skills.
Can individuals get away with littering their homes ? Family / flat mates would simply not tolerate it . Even household help these days will decline to clean a home that’s badly maintained . Yet , when we as Indians venture into public spaces in India we behave as though it’s our Constitutional Right to litter. Children / uneducated people may require guidance on what do to. It’s simply unforgivable when educated people thoughtlessly litter public spaces with cigarette stubs , candy wrappers , pan masala wrappers , chips / biscuit wrappers , plastic bottles..and pretty much anything that one feels like discarding instantly. Each person adds to the mess. Eventually , no one cares. And the mess becomes an accepted part of the landscape.
‘What can I do ?’ , ‘How does my action matter when so many others are littering ?’ creep in as (lame) justifications to continue the dirty crime.
In you are an Indian living in India – please do your bit to help create a Clean India . We cannot depend on the local Municipal Corporations alone to do so . And frankly , it’s impossible for any agency to clean India if citizens recklessly throw litter everywhere.
Our public spaces are a reflection of individual citizens and society as a whole. Before throwing away anything in a public space – pl stop and think . Discard the litter in a bin .
Let patriotism not be limited to flag hoisting twice a year . Daily life offers immense opportunities to create a better India.
Jai Hind !
We’d like to reiterate our thoughts on the significance of Independence Day…
A salute to all those who participated in the movement to make India Independent. And to all those unsung heroes across the country who have since then contributed in myriad forms to making this a more equitable , fair , liveable , joyous , progressive nation than it would have otherwise been.
What is the significance of Independence Day in present day urban India ? For the generations that have been born and raised in an independent India ? Newspapers filled with pictures of celebrities wearing clothes that have shades of the tri-color , saying what it means to be Indian . Buying little flags at the traffic signals and putting them in one’s car or desk for a few days. Participating in flag hoisting ceremony in one’s residential building or company. A few moments of solemn silence as the anthem is played. What is the connection that the rituals build with the idea of a nation ? of the idea of being Indian ? The risk is when the sentiment is limited to a few external gestures.
We can create new , meaningful rituals for Independence Day – as individuals and as groups :
- Recognize that our actions – personal and professional – shape India . If there is allegiance to the idea of a nation to which we pledge our devotion – let it reflect in consistent action.
- Make life choices – small and big – that are authentic and deeply meaningful rather than driven by external appearances / compulsions aka Inner Independence
- Give time , attention , money to those less fortunate
- Help educate a child
- Consciously choose not to litter any public space – e v e r.
- Plant trees
- Become an a c t i v e citizen
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- the list can be meaningfully expanded
Eventually we need to rise above the idea of nations and see the human species as one . Until that can happen we can attempt an expansive and inclusive definition of what it means to be Indian . And be cognizant of our responsibilities and rights the other 364 days of the year.
Pl choose to create a glorious India where Independence is a reality for all it’s citizens .
Happy Independence Day.
We don’t get out of shape with 1 heavy meal . Nor did the environment become a crisis with a single action or even the actions of 1 nation alone. We can’t build muscle with 1 intensive workout at a gym . Neither can the environment be healed in a day .
Routine , everyday choices and actions by individuals , communities , governments , businesses have cumulatively created the challenges we face on the environment front.
We need to drop the ‘what can I do’ line of thought and the consequent inaction / status quo . Each one of us can make a difference. Together , we make change.
This Mother’s Day, we’d like to say thank you to one of the strongest figures in our lives. Popularly known by the term ‘Mother’, she is the one person who will always be there for you. She is an embodiment of strength, ever lasting energy, patience and makes a world of difference.
Praise her, celebrate her and show her how much you care. She’s been a continuous support and you’ve gone places because of her. She is that one person who will move mountains if need be.
At Clean Planet, we have very high regard to individuals who make a difference. Make your mum’s day and gift her some of our eco stylish totes. We’re offering 20% off on all our products till May 13, 2012. Do go through our range at - www.cleanplanet.in/shop and use the code LOUVEUMOM while checking out.
Cheers and a very Happy Mother’s Day 
The first episode of the much awaited Satyamev Jayate aired today . The focus was female foeticide.
It’s one thing to read about female foeticide in newspapers and an entirely different experience to see women who have lived through the horrific experience of being forced to abort their unborn child narrate their experiences .It was inspiring to see each of the women fight the odds and bring up their daughters .
The program did a diligent job of exploring the issue from various perspectives , showing the consequences of female foeticide on the communities that practice it and the impact on the wider society by way of an unsafe environment for women. They made a valid point that for India to change – WE – the people of India – need to change. Legislation can only do so much. This atrocity exists in the substrate of a society that actively or passively allows families to get away with murder in the garb of tradition.
Let’s do what we can – at whatever scale we can . Each one of us can make a difference . Together we can make change .
At Clean Planet, we’re a little crazy and believe we can change the world. We set off on the road less taken, making reusable and eco stylish totes with innovation all over our mind. We wanted to make a tote that would be path breaking and creatively stimulating.
An ode to Mr. Jobs, Tote Imagine is a call to recognise the genius in you. It is crafted out of 100% eco friendliness and spirit to explore endless possibilities. Steve Jobs has been a continuing source of inspiration to us with his pioneering spirit of imagination. It’s created a new world order!
Imagine saving the world from 300 plastic bags per person per year. Daily use of this eco tote up scales the awesomeness & cleanliness quotient of our planet whilst letting one be who they really are. Tote Imagine is a call to action to enliven the crazy one and genius within all of us.
At Clean Planet, we often emphasise on the importance of a sustainable lifestyle. Add to this dashing eco style and you get the best products.
Collaborate with us in making this one heck of planet! We’d like for folks to get it on with their gray cells and make this world a work of art.
Check Tote Imagine out right here – http://bit.ly/IG0W38
Clean Planet celebrates Women’s Day with pride and fervour. The world of today has reached phenomenal progress thanks to their contribution. Women have played diverse and versatile roles through time immemorial.
We urge women to dream big and pursue their aspirations. As you embark your journey, make a story to be told. Unleash all of your ability, potential and celebrate yourself.
We’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge - Anita Roddick - a remarkable entrepreneur, activist and environment enthusiast. She’s been a great source of inspiration to our business formation.
Here’s also thanking all gentlemen who’ve encouraged the ladies to be themselves. Let’s create an awesome and equalitarian world together .
At this point in time there are millions across the planet who don’t have access to food, medication, education. Let’s do our bit to make this a more equitable planet. While no one can do everything – everyone can do a LOT.
Cheers!
No..this isn’t the logo of a Zen foot reflexology spa . It’s the new mantra of modern day retail – Square Foot. More accurately ‘sales per square foot’.
As a brand born of passion to create a more sustainable world – we seek to imbue all that we do with meaning and value that transcends the short term . When designing a product we rigorously focus on how to maximize the value for all involved. Can our customers use it for years ? Will it help them create a sustainable planet ? Will it work well for various lifestyles and occasions ? How can we enable value and growth for our supply partners ? This is an on going journey.
Some of the discussions with the large format retailers focus almost entirely on return per square foot – to a point that everything else seems to get eclipsed ! There is surprisingly no mention of their customers and what might serve their needs.
A business undoubtedly needs to be efficient and profitable . This is not mutually exclusive to focus on customers and the eco-system of people who are a part of any business.
It would be to the collective advantage of mankind to take the focus on ‘Square Foot’ out of the stores and extend it to the Planet .
