ARINDAM GANGULY, OP
Bhubaneswar: Turning his bicycle into a vehicle for environmental awareness, climate activist and cyclist Bapi Gochhayat embarked on a 180- km bicycle ride from Paradip to Puri to promote cleanliness, responsible waste management and environmental protection.
The three-day awareness ride began from Paradip Sunday and is scheduled to culminate in Puri Tuesday. Cycling through towns and villages along the route, Bapi engaged with local residents and spread awareness about the growing menace of plastic pollution, the need to keep public spaces clean and the importance of adopting responsible waste disposal practices.
The initiative sought to encourage people to make small but meaningful changes in their daily lives and contribute to a cleaner and greener environment. Carrying the message, “Change your mindset and the future will change,” Bapi encouraged people to adopt simple yet meaningful changes in their daily habits to build a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable future.
As part of the campaign, he appealed to every household to keep a separate bin for plastic waste and ensure that plastic and other recyclable materials are disposed of responsibly rather than being dumped indiscriminately. He urged people to put such waste in designated bins or hand it over to scrap collectors or municipal authorities for proper disposal and recycling.
He also promoted the use of reusable bags while shopping and called on people to reduce their dependence on single-use plastic bags, which contribute significantly to pollution and environmental degradation. Throughout the journey, Bapi highlighted the growing threat posed by plastic waste to human and animal life and the wider environment.
His campaign emphasised that environmental protection begins with individual responsibility, with small changes in everyday habits having the potential to create a meaningful collective impact. “Plastic waste is a threat to life and the planet. By changing our habits today, we can build a cleaner environment and ensure a healthier future for generations to come,” his campaign message said.
