Consistently, a staggering amount of plastic waste is generated and tossed in landfills or into the water bodies. One of the major contributors to this heap of plastic is plastic bottles and cups. With climate change becoming a real phenomenon and plastic menace causing adverse impact on the environment, it is time for each one of us to contribute towards the environment by making changes in our lifestyle. One such startup is Root 7 India that is helping people to take a small step towards sustainability.

Chaiti Jain and Rinkesh Mehta founded Root 7 India to help in combat the plastic waste. To combat plastic pollution, Root 7 India recognised the need for stainless-steel flasks that are sustainable, just as jazzy as a substitution to single-use plastic in the nation.

#Switchitup with Root7 India is an initiative started to educate the people on the adverse effects of plastic pollution. Despite the knowledge available on the web-domain, there is a gap in implementing a basic routine that includes going plastic-free with the easiest of switches and substitutes and to address this issue, #Switchitup initiative started.

Team Root7 India is a group of 4  young minds trying to bring about a change for the planet to the best of their abilities. Founder Chaiti Jain believes the ecological crisis is growing at a sporadic rate and is here to stay if we don’t act on it. The Wildfires, Climate crisis, global-warming, wildlife conservation – key components of our ecological system which is tumbling down and there is very little that we are doing to curb this. As an individual, we all need to act before it is too late. Further, she also briefed some steps to conserve our planet.

1. Be more aware of your surroundings. Make a conscious effort.

2. Don’t purchase what you don’t need. Put the switches when not in use.

3. Try walking the distance and avoid the usage of vehicles wherever possible.

It is not as difficult as it may sound.

 In conversation with The EarthView, Root7 India Chaiti Jain talks about how they are changing the society with the initiative #switchitup.  She said, “Our bottles are made of stainless steel and we plant a tree for every bottle we sell. We want to eliminate the carbon footprint in whatever way we can and starting with tree plantations for every bottle sold is the stepping stone towards it.”

Jain further said,  “The term ‘sustainability’ or ‘conscious living’ can be very daunting, very intimidating. People often fail to recognize that adopting a sustainable practice is very simple. All you need to do is just switch up a few products here and there and you are good to go. For instance – If you carry a reusable bottle with you at all times and keep refilling your bottle, you can eliminate the use of 92 plastic bottles per month. This is just per person statistics. So imagine if we all make this one small change which is so simple; how big an impact we can have. Something as simple as carrying a reusable cloth bag for your daily grocery shopping can eliminate so many plastic bags that cause landfill. Our campaign exactly highlights these easy messages which can lead to change.”

“Switching to steel or copper bottles not only saves the planet but also has many health benefits it enhances your immune system and makes it stronger to fight off a range of diseases. To save the earth and fights  against pollution for a better future,” said Jain as she signs off.

Written by: Vartika Prasad