MUMBAI: Star and Disney India has announced their commitment to cut-down on the use of single-use plastics across their offices. As a part of this decision, the company has introduced alternatives to single-use plastics in their office premises.

The company has always been extremely conscious of its carbon footprint and the impact it has on the environment. They have already replaced plastic teacups with paper cups, plastic stirrers with wooden stirrers, tea and coffee sachets with paper sachets, and added biodegradable plastic wrappers for umbrellas. Additionally, plastic bottles have been replaced with glass jars with immediate effect.

“At Star and Disney India, we have always believed in being a responsible corporate citizen and with this small step we want to inspire a more sustainable lifestyle. Today, plastic waste is at epidemic proportions in the world's oceans with over 9 million tons of plastic waste being dumped every year with 40% of this being used only once and disposed,” said The Walt Disney Company APAC President and Star & Disney India Chairman Uday Shankar. “It’s about time for us as corporates to make the change for a better tomorrow,” he added.

On October 2, 2019, National Geographic channel, part of the Star Network launched the Planet or Plastic? Pledge, an initiative aimed at addressing the pressing problem of single-use plastics by raising awareness and encouraging people around the country to take a pledge.

The initiative received an overwhelming response with 47,000 tweets and 881 million impressions on social media. The pledges generated a commitment to reduce 25 million items of plastic in the first 24 hours. In 2012, Star pioneered the digital broadcast ecosystem by moving its content from tape to cloud, dramatically reducing its carbon footprint.