A little bit of Fun, Awareness & Justice to the Planet

On Sunday afternoon I opened my UTS app and booked a ticket to Ernakulam from Thalassery. I used to book Superfast train ticket while using UTS. A superfast express arrived before the train I have planned for. Only limited stops. I would be reaching my destination early than my expected 9:20 pm, I thought. The superfast train was already running late by two hours. The train left Thalassery and reached the next stop at Kozhikode. (Kozhikode also known as Calicut is a historical place. As per history books, the Europeans took a direct sea-route to India and landed at Kappad in 1498)

When the train reached Calicut, the irctc app showed the estimated arrival at Ernakulam at 7:20 pm. I was happy. Somewhere in between the train got delayed. I had two luggage and a handbag. I didn’t take water bottle from home to reduce the weight of the luggage. I thought I will buy water at any of the halts. Since I got into a general compartment, the usual railway pantry team did not show up. At Calicut, the mineral water sellers did not turn up. So I bought a soft drink. On reaching Shornur I noticed passengers getting out and walking a distance to buy mineral water from platform shops. Vendors came near to my cabin with the usual vada, samosa, soft drinks, fruit salad; but none with the packaged water. Since the train was running late, I didn’t dare to walk through the platform and do a purchase. When the train reached Ernakulam station, I was in a hurry to reach my lodging. Anyway I will have to go out and have some snacks. I will buy drinking water at that time, I thought.

On reaching my room, I spotted a glass bottle. I have noticed it last time. Maybe my familiarity with plastic bottles inhibited me from reading the outside instructions. There was a tag attached to it. There were two disinfected glasses wrapped in a paper beside it. On the tag, it was indicated it should not be tampered. They also mentioned briefly about the water refine techniques. And in the end, they wrote, they do not promote plastic in the premises, and so do they expect it from their clients.

The next day I went to Lulu Mall and purchased a bottle during Lunch since I didn’t carry a water bottle to refill. I have given my room key at the reception in fear that I may lose it in my day’s hectic schedule. The room in charge cleaned the room. The tag was missing on my bottle. Maybe because I used it, they thought they will remove the tag. But I liked the idea of plastic-free, sustainable- conscious businesses.

On my journey from Ernakulam to Calicut, I booked JanShadabdi Express. The compartment seats are in rows with three seats on both sides of the aisle. I got the middle seat. I bought two Uzhunnu vada from the pantry service. It was served in a small plastic packet. My younger self would have thrown the plastic packet through the window in a hand stretch. And it will land upon any of the random stretches along the railway track. But there was a planet-conscious self who was reminding me of my responsibility. The man sitting at the window seat was enjoying his fresh & crispy snack that he bought from a station vendor. The man at the aisle seat was enjoying his oranges with his family who were seated on the other side of the aisle. I dropped the tiny silver packet in which uzhunnu vada was served into the plastic net attached to the seat in front of me. But I was hesitant with my usual ‘parental’ reminder of what the guy next to me will think. I could have thrown that tiny packet through the window. Instead I thought I will put it in the non-biodegradable bins spotted in multiple points at the railway station. There will be a bin in each compartment, but I’ll reach my destination with the second halt. I’ll get up on reaching there. In between I fell asleep and when I opened my eyes, I was a little surprised. The guy seated near the window has put his snack packet in the seat pocket net in front of him. The person in the aisle seat has put the orange skin in the seat pocket net in front of him. And mine lie in the seat pocket net in front of me.

I usually see plastic bottles in those seat pockets. And I was planning to take the packet I put in the seat pocket as soon as I reach the de-boarding station, and dump it in the waste bin. I was satisfied by the gesture. But I know that the Janshadabdi train will take its return journey in half-an hour time from Calicut, and so there won’t be cabin cleaning from there. We are strangers and I didn’t feel like having a casual conversation about it. As the train approached Calicut railway station, I was the first one to get up and move towards the exit taking that tiny silver packet from the seat pocket. Did they imitate me in the second-half, I don’t know! As soon as I got down from the train, I put it in the non-biodegradable bin in the platform.

It ‘s been a while I try to practice my ‘sustainability’ during trips, but end up failing at it. I don’t carry a water bottle from my house because I rarely spot refill points, and those that I spot appears to be unappealing. Next time, I am looking forward to keep an open eye to spot refill points and examine it closely. Imitation matters.

On my Listenerpreneur Club, I'm looking forward to listening to stories of responsibility towards sustainability. I will let you know the weekly online chitchat/informal schedule, if you wish to take part. DM me. Formal session will be conducted on 16th of March.