Gurugram, June 19 -- Back in 2016, the now 54-year-old Sameera Satija was among the residents who came together and transformed Sector 26A's Kachra Chowk, a place that lived up to its name, into the now well-known Khushboo Chowk. Today, she leads a grassroots movement against single-use plastic, proving that individual action can spark community-wide change. Championing practical solutions for sustainable living, Satija believes meaningful change is possible when communities come together and take collective responsibility. "I wanted to do something that would bring about change and create awareness in society. The idea took shape when I noticed the large number of community feasts (bhandaras) where people used plastic plates and glasses, only to throw them on the streets afterwards," she says. "That was when I realised this practice needs to change." In 2018, Satija launched Crockery Bank - a community-driven initiative that lends reusable plates, bowls, cups, and cutlery for events, free of charge - with just 100 utensils. The idea was to provide an eco-friendly alternative to single-use plastic at large gatherings and community events. The initiative encourages organisers to use reusable stainless steel plates, glasses and spoons instead of disposable plastic cutlery, helping reduce waste and promote sustainable practices. Satija says she was initially sceptical about how people would respond to the initiative. However, as she began sharing her work on social media and within community groups, support started pouring in. More communities, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), and residents came forward and started borrowing utensils from her bank. The initiative soon gained attention beyond Gurugram, with people from other cities reaching out to learn about the model and explore how they could implement similar projects in their own communities. "The tagline is very simple: "Take, Use, Wash, Return," says the 54-year-old. "Even in charity drives and free community meals, while the intention is noble and selfless, we must also consider the environmental impact they leave behind. Disposable plastic cutlery is filling our landfills, littering our roads and polluting our water bodies. And in today's age, it is very important for us to change our behavior and start taking action to save our environment." At present, 37 people across the country have collaborated with Satija to start crockery banks in their own cities, including Pune, Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Bahadurgarh "Seeing my initiative spread across the country gives me a sense of achievement, but this is not the end. The mission is far from over," Satija says....