Recently, my parents and I went to Mustafa Centre.

We brought our own bags to carry our purchases. However, we were not allowed to use them.

According to the cashier, customers may reuse only Mustafa's plastic bags.

As a result, we were left with no choice but to use Mustafa's bags or go home empty-handed.

We had asked to use the "paid" sticker on our bags to indicate purchase, but even that was not an option.

We were gravely disappointed. When corporations enable our country's addiction to plastic, there is very little individual citizens can do.

Something is fundamentally wrong here.

As a First World country, we have a moral responsibility to play our part to protect the environment, to show the world we care enough to make a difference, however small our island may be.

Kayshya Lingesh, 13

Secondary 2 student