India bans THESE single use plastic items - Here is a list of eco-friendly alternatives you can use

Single use plastic ban: The ban was enforced all across the country on July 1 and aims to protect the environment from plastic pollution.

New Delhi: India implemented a ban on single use plastic from Friday (July 1) to bring down the enormous damage single use plastic products have on the environment. According to an official press release by the government, a ban is imposed on the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified single use plastic items across the country.

The list of banned items include:

• Ear buds with plastic sticks
• Plastic sticks for balloons
• Plastic bags
• Candy sticks
• Ice - cream sticks
• Polystyrene (Thermocol) for decoration
• Plastic plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays
• wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes
• Invitation cards
• Cigarette packets
• Plastic or PVC banners less than 100 micron
• Stirrers

In case you're worried about how to go on about with your day-to-day activities without plastic items that were earlier essential to your lifestyle, take a look at these easy to find and affordable alternatives as suggested by World Wide Fund for Nature.

Alternatives to plastic you can easily find

1. Try stainless steel straws, bamboo straws, pasta straws and rice straws
2. Instead of balloons, choose more environmental-friendly decorations such as flowers, DIY paper flowers, paper lanterns, recycled bunting
3. Give up plastic ear buds and switch to bamboo cotton buds, or fluid ear washes. If you use the ear buds for makeup, opt for cotton as a makeup remover tool.
4. Plastic cups are so yesterday! Take a reusable glass or mug to office or school and save the environment
5. Plastic cutlery is extremely wasteful - Try using reusable bamboo utensils or invest in a travel cutlery set
6. For grocery shopping, carry jute or cloth bags from home
7. Get yourself a steel bottle for the long-term instead of a plastic one

As you take the leap and switch to these eco-friendly options, you'll find yourself living more sustainably and happily, knowing that you're not harming the environment. 

The single use plastic ban in India was recently imposed. So it will take time for it to be effectively implemented. For the effective implementation of the plastic ban, government authorities have set up national and state level control rooms. Special enforcement teams have also been formed to check for illegal manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of banned single use plastic items.