The World Of Tzu Chi(Vol.116)

22 2019 • 11 eature Saying no to single-use plastics T he Pandamaran wet market in Klang was bustling with activity, assailing the senses of market-goers with a flurry of sights, smells and sounds. As the spirited clamour of vendors hawking their wares mingled with the early morning air, housewives moved purposefully from stall to stall in search of the best bargains with their purchased goods in tow, bundled into plastic bags in assorted colours. Volunteer Lim Bee Lai was a refreshing sight as she navigated the crowd with a basket in hand in place of bundles wrapped in plastic. “Ten pieces of tofu as usual, please,” inquired Bee Lai as she retrieved a plastic container from her basket and handed it over to the stall helper, who deftly filled the receptacle with white, silken blocks of soybean curd. “Do you mind getting one piece less? Today’s supply of tofu came in bigger portions than usual,” offered tofu vendor Lisa Thin, a veteran at the wet market. She was full of praise for Bee Lai’s habit of bringing her own container for food items and expressed her hope for more of her customers to adopt this cost-saving and environmentally-friendly practice. Lisa acknowledged the convenience offered by plastic bags in the food business, By Koh Poo Leng Translated by Lee Hui Yieng