Now, Public Fridges at Railway Stations To Cut Food Waste: 5 Tips for Zero-Waste Train Travel

I recently travelled by the Tejas express from Chennai to Trichy, and one of the highlights of this service is the amount of food that the passengers are given.

It’s honestly not possible to finish it all, and there is almost always wastage.

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This cool device easily fits on to your tap to save a significant amount of water. Save on your water bill, and help conserve the most precious resource on the planet.

In a bid to address this particular issue, Railway Minister, Piyush Goyal, recently installed a public refrigerator at the Hubballi railway station in Karnataka.

The fridge stands tall at six-feet and has four racks in it–the first two racks will have cooked food, while the other two will store vegetables and fruits.

Now, instead of disposing of surplus food, passengers and staff can leave it in this fridge, and any needy person has access to it.

While this is a great move and will benefit many, here are five tips to ensure a zero-waste train journey.

1. Carry your own water bottle

Nowadays, most trains give their passengers a bottle of water when they board. However, it is also true that everything depends on demand and supply. If we all start saying no to the plastic bottle that they give us, there will come a time when they do away with it completely.

The market now is filled with alternate options – steel, clay, or even glass. So look for one that suits your need the best and carry it during your travels. You will always find points to refill the bottle.

Here are some eco-friendly water bottle options.

2. E-tickets

There’s no denying that one feels most comfortable and at ease carrying a printout of a ticket. However, just downloading it onto your phone will go a long way in preserving the environment. Not just the tickets but also your itinerary and other important travel documents can all be saved on your phone or hand-held device for both convenience and to save paper. Given that all these printed tickets eventually end up in the bin, refraining from using them will help a great deal.

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3. Say NO to disposable plastic

Just saying no to using disposable plastic is perhaps the only way we can stop our dependence on it. If during your travel you are handed over a plastic spoon or a straw, refuse to accept it. When you are going to be travelling by either train or flight, why not carry your own cutlery – a spoon, a steel straw, if you absolutely need one.

You could consider looking at some options right here.

4. Carry your own snack

Travelling is synonymous with snacking. While the market is flooded with unhealthy snacking options that are all usually packaged in plastic, we must consciously try and stay away from them. Even if you do opt to buy snacks during your travel, ensure that you responsibly dispose of the plastic wrapper.

In case you wish to purchase some healthy snacks, click here for a wide range of options.

5. Say NO to environmentally harmful products

The ease of reaching out for a wet wipe is not just convenient but has become almost second nature to us. Carrying these wipes while travelling further adds to the convenience. Given that these wipes are plastic in origin, they are non-biodegradable and thus add to the pollution, creating irreversible environmental issues.

According to this report, the polyester found in baby wipes account for around 35 per cent of plastic pollution, and many environmental agencies have even come forward to stop its usage.

So what’s the alternative? Well, opt for environment-friendly wipes instead. Find some wonderful options, here.

These are just a few tips that if followed, can go a long way in helping the environment last longer.

Also read: OTP Frauds on the Rise: If You Rely on Digital Payments, Here’s How to Protect Yourself!

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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