Sustainable Souvenirs at Frankfurt Airport and Pune

[TusharSuradkar]

During my travel for the Detroit meetup, I had a layover at the Frankfurt airport in Germany.

I stopped at a place called Today.

They had many goodies to purchase, most notably the Milka chocolates that are famous in Germany.

I realized they packaged the chocolates in a paper bag.

I read at the bottom of the bag that it was made from 100% recycled fiber.

Of this, 95% already came from recycled material - this was impressive

Further, it asked not to throw it in the trash but to recycle to complete the sustainability cycle.

When sustainability is on mind, we can spot it easily - everywhere

Every bag handed out is a small but meaningful contribution to a greener, cleaner world, inspiring the community to embrace eco-conscious living.

Back home in Pune, we ordered mangoes online

They too came in handy paper bags.

This post is in support of the Celebrate Earth Day by amazing local guides @Rahul001

This post is in support of @PritishB’s challenge #GreenWorldCleanWorld

Here are my previous entries for the challenge:

Naturals Ice Cream in Pune - Dedication to Sustainability

Sustainability Practice by Small Business at Bengaluru Railway Station

Sustainable Practices at Kiga Ice Cream in Pune

Sustainable Practices at Namaste Chai in Pune

Sustainability Practices on Earth Day 2026

eWaste Collection Center in Pune - A Step Towards a Green World

Breathe the Green in Lalbagh’s Electric Cart

A Neighbourhood Pharmacy - Healing Lives, Healing the Earth

Meanwhile, here’s a wonderful unofficial ID Card made for me by the amazing local guide @Shubhamsharma7979

This is so beautifully designed and printed in bright colors on a shiny PVC card.

I decided not to publish it as a separate post to avoid any confusion over the ID card for a local guide.

Once again, this is a gift and nothing official about it

Thank you, dear Shubham, for this memorable gift

[SharmaK]

This is a very insightful post @TusharSuradkar, highlighting how small choices can contribute to sustainability in our daily lives

I really liked how you connected experiences from Frankfurt Airport to Pune—it shows that eco-friendly practices are truly global and can be adopted anywhere. The use of recycled paper bags is a simple yet impactful step towards reducing plastic waste.

Your observation that “when sustainability is on mind, we can spot it everywhere” is absolutely true. As Local Guides, we can play an important role by noticing and sharing such practices, encouraging others to adopt them as well.

Also, thanks for supporting the #GreenWorldCleanWorld initiative and consistently contributing such meaningful posts. Looking forward to more of your sustainability stories!

[curatorofmemory]

@TusharSuradkar . Sustainability has become very important today. One of the biggest culprits today are these chips packets. Biggies like Pepsi lays should do something about iy

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you @SharmaK ji for reading the finest details in the post

Greatly indebt for your appreciation

[TusharSuradkar]

True @curatorofmemory what we see around us regarding sustainability efforts are a drop in the ocean - the businesses that continue to use plastic and pollute the environment on a large scale.

[Annaelisa]

Es ist schön zu sehen, wie der Nachhaltigkeitsgedanke die Welt umrundet.

@TusharSuradkar

Auch einzelne Menschen müssen dafür sensibilisiert werden.

Unser Eckernförder Taucher hat gerade wieder aufgezeigt, was er alles aus dem Meer fischt, unter anderem Dutzende von Eislöffeln.

[TusharSuradkar]

That is bad news, @Annaelisa

This reminds me of some graffiti that I captured recently…

This one depicts that fish die when we throw plastic into the seas.

Another one shows how plastic engulfs or wraps the living beings in the water

[Annaelisa]

Ja, es ist schrecklich. @TusharSuradkar

Man fragt sich oft, was sich solche Menschen dabei denken.

[Kumaarsantosh]

@TusharSuradkar

Every bag handed out is a small but meaningful contribution to a greener, cleaner world, inspiring the community to embrace eco-conscious living.

A very powerful message, @TusharSuradkar. Thank you for capturing your insightful observations from airports and sharing them to raise awareness about sustainability and responsible practices.

[Np45]

Great post @TusharSuradkar ji​ Loved the focus on sustainable souvenirs and mindful travel. Thanks for sharing!

[Roman_Ahmmed]

Thank you for sharing this topic, @TusharSuradkar, dada. You might be surprised to learn that in Portugal, shopping malls and small retail outlets charge customers between 10 and 60 cents per bag, depending on the size. This policy encourages customers to bring their own reusable bags from home. Furthermore, all shopping outlets in Portugal provide bags made from recycled materials.

[TusharSuradkar]

That is heartening to know, dear @Roman_Ahmmed

This has slowly started in India as well, where they are charging INR 20 for an ecofriendly bag but the customers are not ready for it.

[MoscowMani]

EU norms for recycling is strict ,disciplined and enforced. As all EU countries are the size of a single state in India and sparsely populated ,recycling is easier. Recycling is only effective if it is segregated at source which doesn’t happen in densely populated countries…

Just an analysis ..

[TusharSuradkar]

True it is all about the rules and how strictly they are enforced.

Above all, the urgency to adopt eco-friendly practices ensures that people adopt these practices @MoscowMani

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you @Kumaarsantosh for reading the finest details in the post

A huge thanks for your appreciation and feedback

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you, dear @Np45, for the appreciation and feedback on the post