Green Action Week (GAW – 2021)

OVERVIEW

Green Action Week (GAW) is a global campaign to promote sustainable consumption. It is an initiative by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC) and is carried out in coordination with Consumers International (CI). This year (2021) Green Action Week will be celebrated from 4th October to 10th October. The theme of GAW 2021 is Sharing Community.

CAMPAIGN FOCUS

Efforts to tackle plastic pollution for clean and green environment through sharing community 

Purpose of GAW 2021

What is plastic pollution?

Along with climate change, plastic pollution is one of the most important environmental problems that has hit the world the hardest. Though one cannot deny the convenience of single-use plastic, plastic accumulation harms the environment and creates severe problems for wildlife and humans as well. Since plastics are largely non-biodegradable they remain in the environment for several thousands of years. Most of the deaths in the animal world are caused by plastics. Plastics either find their way in the stomach of the animals or they get themselves entangled with it. Plastics are consumed both by marine and land-based animals. Plastic microfibers have also been found in municipal drinking water systems. Plastic pollution results because of improper waste disposal system in most parts of the world. As per UNEP, the global volume of plastic waste continues to grow, and some of the biggest producers don’t manage their waste effectively. If the current trend continues, once can witness more plastic than fins in our oceans by 2050.

Why is it important to tackle plastic pollution

Over 34 lakh tonnes of plastic waste was generated in the financial year 2019-20, an increase of more than 10 lakh tonnes compared to 2017-18. This was the response to the question raised on the need to phase out single use plastic and annual plastic waste generation in the upper house of Indian Parliament.

As per UNEP, today we produce 300 million tonnes of plastic waste every year .That’s nearly equivalent to the weight of entire human population.

According to a 2019-2020 report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which collates data from 60 major cities in India, the country generates around 26,000 tonnes of plastic waste a day out of which 60% of plastic produced is recycled. And rest 40% when not cleaned and segregated, plastic converts to be a waste which is either landfilled or ends up polluting streams or groundwater resources.

What are we planning to do :

• To motivate, encourage and train youths to become warriors against plastic pollution and develop a network to run the movement.
• To sensitise, educate and motivate youth, women and consumers towards reducing use of plastics, finding alternatives and responsible disposal of plastic through sharing community
• To encourage citizens specially youngsters to come forward and take initiative towards sustainable practices through sharing community using online technology

Sensitization Workshop Videos

STRATEGY

• An online  platform for experts to exchange ideas, information and also to demonstrate methods of recycling and using alternatives for plastic goods and how to make adopt them in real life.
• Youth representatives will be encouraged to sensitize and educate other youths and contribute in youth networking against plastic pollution.
• Involve consumer groups and environmental activists working on tackling plastic pollution and give them a platform to share best practices on responsible  disposal of plastic and how consumers can avoid such practices.
• We are going to involve women and young girls through workshops and webinars to share inputs on how to make a plastic free sustainable environment.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES:

• Youth will act as young warriors against plastic pollution and will focus on sensitization, education and concrete actions.
• Sensitized consumers will contribute towards environment through various groups.
• Reduction of plastic from day-to-day lives, responsible disposal and recycling in a safe way thereby contributing to environment with help of stakeholders.
• Forming youth network to take forward the activities.

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Green Action Week :Joint Efforts to fight plastic pollution

Ms.Nalini Kolipaka (environment activist ) shares a message with Consumer VOICE on the importance of sustainable consumption and joint efforts towards plastic pollution.

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Green Action Week :Reusing plastic into sustainable way

Nailini Kolipaka Environmental Activist Secunderabad shares her ideas on how she has reused plastic bottles in her garden and in various potted plants.

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Plastic Cleanup drive in Delhi | Green Acton Week

Consumer VOICE joined hands with New Delhi Nature Society for a plastic cleanup drive in Vasant Kunj, where Verhean Khanna Founder of New Delhi Nature Society spoke about the importance of a plastic free environment in this video.

Front-of-Pack Labelling

Front-of-Pack Labelling (FOPL) refers to the nutrition labeling systems present on the front side of the food packages. FOPLs are based on nutrient profiling models. These profiling These profiling models either consider the overall nutrition quality of the product or/the nutrients of concern associated with non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases, etc. FOPLs often focus on presenting the nutrition information thoroughly and comprehensively.

Why is there a need to regulate consumption of HFSS (High in Fat, Salt and Sugar) Foods?

Nearly 5.8 million people or 1 in 4 Indians are at a risk of dying from an NCD before they reach the age of 70. Disease burden of NCDs increased from 30% ‘disability-adjusted life years’ (DALYs) in 1990 to 55% in 2016, with deaths due to these conditions increasing from 37% in 1990 to 61% in 2016. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for at least 27% of NCD deaths. Untreated and uncontrolled hypertension contributes to an estimated 1.6 million deaths annually in India – 57% of these deaths related to stroke and 24% related to coronary heart disease. India is also fast becoming a diabetes and cancer hotspot.

This crisis is being further aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as persons living with NCDs face a greater risk of becoming severely ill or dying from COVID-19. All of these conditions such as high blood pressure, high fasting blood sugar levels and obesity are closely linked to unhealthy diets, and an excessive intake of sugars, total fats, saturated fats, trans fats and sodium. In turn, the excessive intake of these “nutrients of public health concern”, is largely driven by the widespread availability, affordability and promotion of processed and ultra-processed food products with unhealthy nutritional profiles. Reports indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic generated a unique opportunity for the food and beverage industry to thrive in low- to middle-income countries and expand their market of unhealthy, ultra-processed foods and sugary drinks.

Dr Chandrakant Pandav, President, Indian Coalition for the Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD), warns that there is no time is to be lost. “It is clear as day that our food environment needs to change drastically if we are to reverse the health crisis and safe guard our future generations. Even as we move to fortify our food, it is equally critical to equip people with information regarding harmful nutrients  in their food products including ie, high concentration of salt, sugar and fats, is an equally important strategy.”

With Front of Pack labelling, consumers can understand whether a food is specifically high in a nutrient, for example, protein or fiber, and compare it to other products as well.

Fssai Draft Regulation on FOPL

Why FOPL

Research evidence suggests that FOPL makes nutrition information more accessible to consumers. Using the FOPL, consumers can make informed and healthy food choices. They can pick food items that are low in saturated and trans fats, sugar, and sodium.  A strong front-of-package label is one of the most efficient tools of influencing consumer behaviour to alter dietary choices and reduce their vulnerability to NCDs. According to Dr Barry Popkin, the W. R. Kenan Junior distinguished professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health sharing his experience from leading research on impact of FOPL  in multiple countries said, “In our ongoing evaluations we have found that all countries which have adopted warning label system of FOPL that are easy to interpret, have succeeded in reducing consumption of the most unhealthy ultra-processed foods and beverages. As suggested by available evidence, this is one of the most effective approaches to preventing obesity and nutrition-related NCDs like diabetes and hypertension. People need to understand clearly and simply what is in the food that they are buying. Food labels have to interpret the nutrition information for consumers across age, income and literacy levels.”

Information, Education and Communication Material on FOPL

Why are interpretive FOPL systems much more effective

WHO Guiding principles and framework manual for front-of-pack labeling for promoting healthy diets:  “Briefly, interpretive FOPL systems that use interpretational aids and minimize numerical information are most useful for aiding consumer comprehension of FOPL information”

Report from the WHO Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity: “Recommendation 1.7: Implement interpretive front of-pack labeling supported by public education of both adults and children for nutrition literacy”

The UN Special Raporteur on the right to health: “Front-of-package warning labeling is a key measure for countries to tackle the burden of NCDs”.

India’s stand on FOPL

In 2018 the Food Safety Standards Authority India (FSSAI) published draft regulation for FOPL which was subsequently withdrawn for further deliberation. In 2020 December, FSSAI restarted the process of developing FOPL and has been in consultation with civil society, industry and nutrition experts for a viable model for India.

All about HFSS Foods, Hypertension & Food Labelling

Do you check the amount of salt present in the snack pack you pick from the store? This pack of snacks could be containing more than half of the amounts of salt you should consume in a day. Hence it is necessary to check the nutrition information on the food pack before buying. And mind the amounts of such food items accordingly as they could be high in fat, sugar, and sodium. Needless to say, their excessive consumption is often interlinked with the development of diseases like hypertension which could further progress into cardiovascular diseases. Read this article to know about HFSS (high in fat, salt, and sugar) foods, their association with non-communicable diseases, and how food labelling could aid consumers in choosing an apposite food item. Click here to read our expert’s view on this..

Proposed study on FOPL in India for Consumer perception

Objective of the Study:

• To compare the  warning label, nutri-score labels, multiple traffic lights and GDA labels to no label in randomised control trial design in India.
• Preliminary formative research will first be undertaken to identify the best warning label for inclusion in the RCT

 Primary outcomes: 

• Lower intentions of purchasing a product high in salt, sugar or saturated  or trans fat
• Perceived message effectiveness (extent to which the label makes participants worried about the health consequences of the product; makes the product unpleasant; discourages them from wanting to consume the product)

Role of Consumer VOICE

Consumer VOICE is playing an active role in advocating front of pack labelling in packaged foods to inform consumers on foods that are rich in fat, salt and sugar content and thereby regulating consumption of such foods.  Consumer VOICE has represented consumer organisations in several meetings conducted by the regulatory body FSSAI for the same. It has also sensitised consumers through articles by experts both on the print and social media platforms.

VIDEOS

EVENT UPDATES

Digital Literacy Initiative

OVERVIEW

The Anne Fransen Fund (AFF) of Consumers International was founded in 1988 following the death of Anne Fransen, the first director of Consumers International member organisation, Consumentenbond in 1981. The main aim of the fund is to promote and support the growth of consumer organizations in developing countries.

Consumer Voice was one of the seven Consumers International members that promoted the protection of consumers around the globe through the funding provided by the AFF2017.

Consumer VOICE trained a group of consumer activists on digital economy who will then carry the mission forward.

CAMPAIGN FOCUS

The overall objective of Digital Literacy Initiative is to empower the vulnerable consumer group on digital issues so that they may effectively explore the opportunities provided by digitally empowered knowledge economy. ‘Be safe yet be digitally empowered’, is the message that is given through the project. Some of the important goals of Digital Literacy Initiative include:

1. To create a cadre and network of trained digital consumer activists
2. To empower vulnerable consumer groups by imparting digital literacy
3. To help consumers address their digital complaints
4. Empower the trained group to reach out to others where constant help and updating from the project will be of assistance.
5. Target a cross section of the community in a limited pilot phase and then tie up with a large corporate like Google / Microsoft / to take the initiative forward.

CHALLENGES

• Empowering the vulnerable section who have very limited knowledge of computers, with digital tools was a challenge
• Designing ToT modules for maximum reach across all sections

OUR STRATEGY

For the pilot project we chose National Capital Territory of Delhi which includes New Delhi and urban areas surrounding it in neighbouring states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan as it is one of India’s world’s largest agglomerations, with a population of around 5 crore.  We chose the project area due to factors like the largest number of targeted consumers, lack of digital literacy, and high rate of cyber crimes. Apart from this due to our presence and strengths in NCT, there are more chances of creating maximum impact in given budget and time.

The following steps were taken to implement the project:

A WELL TRAINED GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WERE CREATED THROUGH A TRAINING OF TRAINER (TOT) MODEL

A single day ToT workshop for consumer activists (30 in all) were trained on digital issues where intensive training on issues related to handling of digital devices and safe internet usage were imparted.

DEVELOPED AND DESIGNED TRAINING MODULES FOR TOT & DIGITAL LITERACY CAMPS CONSUMER

Consumer VOICE created digital literacy awareness material and dedicated pages on social media platform to maximize reach and ensure engagement of all stakeholders.

ORGANISED DIGITAL LITERACY CAMPS ACROSS DELHI NCR FOR WIDER REACH

Consumer Voice organised six Digital Literacy camps across NCR with different categories of vulnerable consumer groups such as youngsters, women, and elderly. The purpose of these camps is to make them digitally literate to boost their confidence to join the digital economy and society.

ASSISTED CONSUMERS REGISTER THEIR COMPLAINTS RELATED TO DIGITAL ISSUES

Consumer Voice helped consumers in redressal of their complaints related to digital issues. This was a continuous activity and continued even after the project duration.

Consumer VOICE implemented this project with the help of local partners for on-field activities. Government and regulatory agencies were involved to advocate for better policy decisions and strict enforcement and monitoring mechanism.

IMPACT

• Empowered vulnerable consumers to effectively engage digitally in their daily activities
• Formed a team of digital activists through the ToT model to carry the project forward

CAMPAIGN UPDATES