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Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

If you are worried about the piles of waste that rot on our roads, about the corporation that you think doesn’t know its job; about corrupt politicians who you think swindle public money, about the whole system that in your opinion, doesn’t work, and if you think your job ends there, please skip the rest.

On the other hand, if you want to do something about it, here are a few shockingly simple things you can do, which can go a long way.

Reduce – Reduce the use of materials that can end up as difficult-to-manage waste

1.    Avoid takeaway food as much as you can, if you do, do it from a place where as little plastic is used for packaging as possible.

2.    Buy cotton clothes instead of synthetic/semi-synthetic clothes

3.    While shopping, buy stuff with as less plastic packaging as possible.

4.    Again, while going shopping, take your own shopping bag along.

5.    Never, never  waste food.

6.    While arranging parties – go for paper/ceramic cups, plates. Never go for plastic or other synthetic stuff.

7.    When going on a trip, carry your own water bottle (plastic or otherwise). Take a look near our railway tracks and you’ll know why I say this.

8.    When buying soft drinks, buy them in cans instead of plastic bottles.

Top of Form

Fido video

Bottom of Form

Scoop movie download
Reuse –

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Reuse Blue Velvet movie download whatever is reusable. You’ll be surprised how little we normally do this.

1.    Re-use plastic bags, do not just throw them away after a single use. Wear them out by use.

2.    Reuse one-sided paper for your rough scribblings

3.    Use fountain pens instead of ball-pens. If you do use them, make sure you get them refilled – do not just throw away used pens.

4.    Give away your old usable clothes to charity

5.    Sell away unusable clothes, glass, paper to recycling shops

The Long Goodbye film
Recycle – The Paper Chase video

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Just Like Heaven download when you can’t re-use, make sure you recycle

1.    Disposing plastic should be your last option, and when you do, make sure you dispose it properly, understand where it’s going, make sure it gets recycled if it is recyclable. The fundamental thing here is segregation of plastic.

2.    Segregate the degradable from non-degradable waste at source. Do not just dump all your waste on the people who come to collect them – remember they are also people like us who would not really enjoy digging through someone else’s garbage.

3.    If you have the space, dispose organic waste in your own yard in a compost – rather than burdening the corporation/municipality services. Actually it doesn’t take that much space;here’s a good link on how you can go about composting.

4.    If you live in a flat, talk to your association to get a compost unit built.

Parker Pen (Or as my friends have fondly called it " Chandayile vedi"

Trrrr Trrrr a sound emanated from the tin box in which he had collected his pocket money.

“I wonder how much money there is in the box, he said to himself and opened the tin box hoping for a miracle. He looked into the box. There was only coins, Rs 2, Rs1. 50p and 25p coins. He tilted the box, so that all the coins fell onto his bed. He stared putting each denomination separately sand then started counting all the coins. The total came to Fifteen rupees seventy five paise. He put his two hands on his head and stared at the coins in disappointment.

His little sister comes into the room and walks up towards him. He picks her up onto the bed. She sees the coins laid out on the bed and pointing a finger towards the coins and with those innocent eyes looking at him, she cries out ‘chocolate’.

I’m sorry Ayeshu mole ‘he says’. I need Rs 50 to buy a pen for uppa’s birthday tomorrow. I only have fifteen rupees and seventy five paise.

Ayesha looks at him again and cries out ‘Chocolate’ again, OK, OK, I’ll bring chocolate for you in the evening ‘ he says touching her cheeks. She gives him a cute smile and gets down from the bed and runs away.

‘Now I have to buy her a chocolate also. From where will I get that money’, he said to himself, putting his hands on his head.

‘Anwar, have you taken your bath’, his mother called out from the kitchen.

‘No, Umma,  I’m going to take bathe.’

‘Be fast or you will be late for school’.

‘Ya………….’, he said as he put all the coins in small purse, got from a jewellery and then put that purse inside his bag. He removed his dresses and dashed off to the bathroom.

**********************************************************************************

‘Umma, what are you giving to Uppa for his birthday’, Anwar asked his mother,munching an idli.

‘What present? Tomorrow I’ll make chicken biryani for dinner’ his mother replied. ‘Now eat fast, you are getting late.’

‘Umma, can I have some more money’, he asked.

‘why’

“ I want to buy a sip-up for Sooraj’. He had brought one for me last week’.

‘You already have Rs 13 with you. Then why do you want more’.

‘You only said that I should use that Rs 10 in case of any emergency only, rest, Rs3 is used as bus charge’.

‘Ok, now wash your hands and rush off’.

‘Umma please’, he pleaded.

‘Ok, I’ll give you Rs2. But this is the last time’, she said as she took Rs2 coin from her purse and gave it to him.

‘Now, bugger off!

‘Thank you, Umma’, he said with a lovely smile and then gave his little sis a kiss on the cheek and ran off.

**********************************************************************************

‘Hi Sooraj’, Anwar said as he lay his hand on Sooraj’s shoulder.

‘Hi’

‘Could you lend me some money today. I’ll give it back as fast as possible.’

‘Why, yaar?’

‘Tomorrow is Uppa’s birthday. I want to buy a Parker’s pen for him. I had broken his favourite pen last month by mistake’.

‘Ok, let me see. I’ll give you the money at school.’

Meanwhile, the bus came and both of them got onto the bus.

‘Pass’, Anwar said to the conductor while givinh him Rs1.5. The conductor with a scowl on his face asked him to get inside and put his bad in a side. He said the same thing to Sooraj also. Sooraj pushed himself in between the people and inadvertently hit the conductor’s elbow. Two coins fell out of the conductor’s hand. A passenger picked up Rs 1coin, but the 2^nd coin wasn’t found.

Sooraj said, ‘I’m very sorry’ to the conductor.

The conductor gave him a growl, and muttered something, under his breath.

They reached the school. Anwar contemplated asking all his classmates for some contribution, but decided against it. He then asked Sooraj,’what do I do’?

‘How much money do you have with you right now’. Sooraj asked back.

Seventeen rupees and seventy paise only plus Rs 1 I got from the  bus’ Anwar replied.

‘So you took that coin. So that’s Rs 1 less we want’ said Sooraj with a grin.

‘That is rupees 18 and seventy five paise only. How much money do you have with you?

‘I can give you Rs 3,’ Sooraj said rummaging his pockets’ or let me see, here there is three rupees and fifty paise.

‘so total will be ……’ Anwar said as took out his notebook and turned to the last page and added.

   118.75+3.5=22.25

Only Twenty two rupees  yaar’, Anwar said looking sad.

‘Don’t worry, we’ll get the money somehow’, Sooraj consoled his friend.

The bell rang and both of them entered their classes and went to the respective seats. They waited till the lunch break to resume their talk. They hurried out to a secluded area of the compound, with Anwar carrying his purse of money.

‘Now we need Rs 28 more’ Sooraj said to Anwar.

‘Ya, but how will we get that much money,’ Anwar asked him.

‘Why don’t you ask Priyanka chechi?’ Sooraj asked him with raised eyebrows.

(Priyanka was a senior in 10^th standard who was in love with Anwar’s cousin Shajith. Anwar used to act as messenger between them.)

‘Shajith Ikka will come to know and he will scold me’, Anwar said.

‘Just tell her that you lost your money and you need some money to go home’.

‘But will she have money with her?’

‘She is a rich girl. She may even give Rs 50 note. She likes you very much also.

‘Ok, then come we’ll go and ask her’.

They both set off towards the 10^th std class. The 10^th std student seemed  very serious looking, they looked in through the window and saw Priyanka eating her food with her friends.

‘Your cousin is very lucky to have such a beautiful rich girl friend’. Sooraj said to Anwar.

Anwar didn’t reply. He was still thinking whether it is a good idea to ask Priyanka chechi for money.

Priyanka suddenly turned her head and saw them standing outside. Her friends also noticed them. They said something to Priyanka and laughed. Priyanka started blushing and got up from her seat and came outside and asked Anwar ‘Did he gave any letter?’

‘No…..no, he didn’t give any letter’ Anwar replied looking very nervous.

‘Then what?Aren’t you feeling well?’ Priyanka asked Anwar and put her hand on his forehead to check whether he had fever.

‘No, no, I’m ok. It is just that……….’Anwar paused and looked at Sooraj.

‘He lost his money in the bus and today he came to ask if you could lend him some money’. Sooraj said very confidently.Sooraj’s confident pose made Anwar relax and he said ‘Yes, that’s what I came for’.

Priyanka looked at Anwar with suspicion and then smiled and said, ‘Ok, I’ll give you some money and then went inside her class and took some money out of her purse and came out again.

‘Here’, she handed out Anwar a Rs 5 note. The disappointment was clearly seen in his face.

‘Only Rs 5?’ Sooraj asked Priyanka.

‘Then what, you only need Rs 1.5 or 2 to get home and I am giving you 5 Rs’, Priyanka said towering over Sooraj.

“That is enough’, Anwar said as he snatched the money from Priyanka’s hand and ran towards his class with Sooraj closely following him. They reached their classroom.

‘Damn, she just gave 5 rs’, Anwar said slamming his fist slowly onto the desk.

‘She’s such a miser. Hmmm………, anyhow now we have 27 rs, that means 23 more to get, Sooraj said calculating.

‘Can’t you ask Georgina Miss for some money? She is very fond of you.’ Anwar asked Sooraj.

‘Ok, let me see.’

Georgina Miss was their English teacher. Both of them tried to impress her during the English period. After the class, Sooraj went to her just as she was about to go out ans asked her for some money, saying that he had lost his money. She asked him to come to the staffroom after classes.

‘I’ll ask her for minimum 10 rupees’, Sooraj said to Anwar.

‘Then it will become 37 rupees, but where do we get the rest 11 rupees from’.

‘We’ll see yaar’.

They went to Georgina Miss after the class and asked her for 10 rupees.

‘Why do you want 10 rupees, I’ll give you onlu 5 rupees’,Georgina Miss said lowering her spectales and looking at them.

‘I want to go to see one of my friends and then go home,’Sooraj replied, not looking at her face.

‘Which friend’?

‘You don’t know him, Miss. He had broken his leg while playing football. So I want to go and see him’.

‘Are you telling the truth’.

‘Yes, Miss’.

Anwar was quiet all this time.

‘Is Anwar coming with you?’ Georgina Miss asked Sooraj.

‘Yes Miss’.

‘Ok, I’ll give you the money, but only 10 rupees. But I expect to get the money back quickly’.

‘Ok, Miss’.

She opened her purse and took out a crisp 10 rupees note and handed it to Sooraj.

‘Now, rush off and try to get home early’, she said giving him a pat on the head.

‘Thank you, Miss’, both of them said in unison and Sooraj took the money and they ran off.

They walked slowly towards the bus stop, thinking how to get the remaining 13 rupees.

‘I have a 10 rupees note with me, which umma had given me for any emergency. But she will check everyday to see I have that money or not’. Anwar said.

Sooraj said ‘ok’ and then suddenly bend down.

‘Here, I got a 50 paise coin. So our total becomes 37+10+0.50 =47.50 rupees’. Sooraj said putting that coin in Anwars purse.

‘Actually, it is 47rupees 75 paise’, Anwar corrected him.

‘So we still need 2 rupees and 25 paise.

‘But how will give back all the money , we have got now?

‘Let us go to the shop down the street. We may get a discount there’.

‘Ok’.

They walk slowly searching’ the ground for any coins. They reach the shop, Sooraj is about to go in, but Anwar pulls back Sooraj.

‘Do you think he’ll give the pen for this much money’?

Anwar asks Sooraj.

‘We’ll see, come on’, Sooraj says and pulls Anwar into the shop.

‘They go to the salesman and asks for the specific parker pen. He gives it to them and they go to the counter to pay. ‘Anwar asks the man in the counter ‘How much?’

’50 rupees’, comes the reply.

‘can’t you lower the price little more’.

‘Look at this’, the man in the counter says as he shows him the MRP’ It is actually 55 rupees and I’m selling it for 50 rupees. I cannot lower the price anymore’.

‘But I only have 47 rupees and 75 paise ‘.

‘Then, I’m very sorry. Now, if you want anything else you can buy it. Or else go out and don’t waste my time’, the man said pointing outside.

They go out in disappointment.

‘Now what do we do?’Anwar asks Sooraj.

I’m thinking’.
Don’t  you have to reach home by 5:30’.

‘yes’

‘Ok, then you go’.

‘But what will you do. How will you get  rest of the money?’

‘That, I’ll do something, you go’.

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yup’

Sooraj went off towards his home. Anwar supported himself on an electric pole and tears started to drop from his eyes, Then someone put a hand on his shoulder and asked him, do you want money?

Anwar turned back to see a man, about 25 years of age, dressed formally.

‘Yes… I want some money’ Anwar said, trying hard to hold back his tears.

‘How much money do you want?’ the man asked him 2 rupees and 25 paise.

‘I’ll give you 100 rupees’, but you have to do a simple job for me.

‘What job? Actually, I’ll do anything.’ Anwar says at the prospect of getting 100 rupees.

‘You have to go and put this parcel in front of the big shop in Market Road’, he says showing him a box.

‘Should I give it to someone’.

‘No, just keep it where no one notices. Someone will pick it up from there’.

‘If you want I’ll give the parcel directly to the person’.

‘Don’t order me. Just do as I say, the man retorted.

‘Ok’, Anwar says and stretches his hand forward to receive the parcel and the 100 rupees.

‘If anyone asks you, what is inside the parcel Just say it is for the shop keeper’, and don’t stand there put the parcel there and go home.

‘Ok’, Anwar says and walks towards the market road thinking that now he can buy the pen easily and give back Priyanka chechis, Georgina Miss’s and Soorajs money tomorrow itself. I’ll still have lots of money left. I’ll give Sooraj a treat tomorrow.

He walks very happily with a stude in his step. He reaches the market and puts the box in a corner in front of the shop and walks away.

He goes back to the stationary shop and produces the 100 rupees note to the cashier and asks him to give the parker pen.

‘From where did you get the money’.

‘I got the money. That’s all. Now give me the pen’.

‘Ok’ he tells his assistant to bring the  pen and takes 100 rupees note from Anwar and gives him back 50 rupees note. Anwar takes takes the pen, the he gets 2 rupees note from his purse and asks for 4 50 paise sweets for his sister. He buys that also and hurries back to house.

He gets a scolding from his mother for being late. But because his days ambitions were fulfilled more than his expectations, he doesn’t mind a bit. He gives the sweets to his sister, when her mother was busy watching her serials, he then goes and asks her mother ‘when will uppa come home’.

‘He called me. He said he’ll be a bit late, since he is going to the market to buy things.

‘ok’

‘N ow go to study. We’ll eat dinner when uppa comes.’ He goes to his room and picks up the parker pen which he has hidden behind his books and admires it.

Just then his mother calls him loudly. He rushes to the living room and sees flash news on the TV.

BOMB BLAST AT MARKET

His mother looked very worried. But on seeing his face, she consoles him saying ‘Don’t worry’ uppa must have left the market by now and hugs him.

Just then the bell rings and Anwar escapes from his mothers  clutches to open the door. But it was not his father, but his fathers elder brother and his wife both of them looking very serious. They come in and tell Anwar to go inside, telling him that they want to talk to his mother alone. Anwar goes to other room but tries to hear what they were saying.

His fathers brother was talking ‘ Shahid (Anwars father) had died in the bomb blast. His mother screams and his aunty tries to console her. His fathers brother continues unabated ‘Someone placed the bomb in front of the big shop in the market. Shahid was coming out after buying the necessary things when the bomb blasted.  Anwar listens in total shock. He takes the parker pen from his pocket and looks at it. The light seems to fade, until there it total blackness and he falls to the ground with a thud……….

A short story by Mukul Sasidharan.