Join Dia Mirza & Afroz Shah’s Mission To Beat Plastic Pollution

Dia Mirza tells you why this World Environment Day you should say NO to single-use plastic.

Dia Mirza says NO to plastic.

(Photo: The Quint)

Did you know that 500 billion plastic bags are consumed every year?

Did you know that it takes over 100 years for plastic to degrade in the environment?
13 million tonnes of plastic leaks into the ocean, polluting the water, environment and killing 1,00,000 marine animals every year.

If this doesn’t scare you, nothing will.

Plastic pollution is an epidemic.

Recently, UN Goodwill ambassador Dia Mirza joined environmentalist Afroz Shah to celebrate World Environment Day by cleaning up Mumbai’s Versova beach.

The actor appreciated Shah’s efforts and urged everyone to say NO to single-use plastic and choose more sustainable alternatives in our everyday lives. The theme for this year’s World Environment Day is to beat plastic pollution and say no to single-use plastic.

My appeal to everyone this World Environment Day and everyday is to become conscious of the plastic we consume in our everyday lives. We can make a big difference by simply saying NO to single-use plastic. Before you order the drink, please tell the server not to give you a plastic straw. If you succeed in giving up single-use plastics, may be then you can move to the next phase, which is to compel organisations, industries and governments to do more to seek sustainable alternatives for all kinds of packaging.

Dia Mirza, actor and UN Goodwill Ambassador

50% of consumer plastic is single-use.(Photo: The Quint)

Plastic pollution is poisoning our environment and our health. (Photo: The Quint)

In October 2015, Mumbai-based lawyer Afroz Shah started the world’s largest beach clean-up drive. Shah along with many volunteers spends his Sundays at the Versova beach, trying to make the . 15 million kilograms of plastic and waste has already been removed from Versova beach.

In 2016, he was presented the Champion of the Earth award by the United Nations for his efforts and contribution towards protecting the environment.

Actor Dia Mirza with environmentalist Afroz Shah.(Photo: The Quint)

Afroz Shah has been removing trash from Mumbai’s Versova beach since October 2015.(Photo: The Quint)

Switch from plastic to glass bottles, this small change will make a big difference. (Photo: The Quint)

Watch the video and it will definitely make you rethink and refuse plastic.

Camera: Sanjoy Deb and Divya Talwar
Camera Assistant: Gautam Sharma
Editor: Veeru Krishan Mohan