Let us start with trying to ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world,’ as said by Mahatma Gandhi.
- Start by thinking how can I reduce my consumption of plastics and disposables?
- Make a resolution to avoid single use plastics like water bottles, disposable dinner wear, shopping bags, etc. Alternatives can be using your reusable water bottles and tea/coffee mugs.
- Start right away by carrying your own dinnerware in a tote or backpack to masjid’s events. You might feel a little out of place but your standing out will cause curiosity, which can be a teaching moment and hopefully bring about positive change. Soon you will not be the only one.
- An option would be to sell cotton canvas tote bags with masjid logo and/or an environmental message that people can use for bringing their dinnerware.
- Work with masjid administration and educate them about the hazards of disposables, especially plastics.
- Request a meeting with masjid admins and make it open to the public for a presentation on Islam and our environmental responsibility.
- Encourage them to make it a masjid policy to not allow water bottles or Styrofoam cups and boxes in the masjid. Water drums can be placed in specified locations with small ‘paper cups.’ Alternatives to Styrofoam are available for a slightly extra cost but we cannot put a price on ours and our children’s health who are the most vulnerable.
- Disposables can be made of sustainable materials.
- Long term goal can be to install a professional dishwasher and switch to reusable dinnerware especially through Ramadhan and large events. This will also be a monetary savings for the masjid in the future.
- Start small in Ramadhan: Invest in silverware and do away with plastic cutlery. This is easy to wash as the cutlery is dropped off in a bin with hot soapy water stationed next to the trash cans. Once collected they can be scrubbed and rinsed out and allowed to dry on racks or towels for the next day.
- Have people stack their used paper plates and cups and then place them in the trash bags as this will tremendously reduce the space it take up in the trash bag and thus reduce the number of trash bags used. You will need a table and a volunteer initially to guide people. Usually people get the idea and catch on to it.