Recreate...Reshape...

Pankaj Mital — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 15:54:12 +0000

In ancient times, humans used tree leaves for servicing food and clay pots to cook and drink out of. As we grew smarter and with the help of technological growth, we started innovating more reliable and easier to use solutions like the use of plastic and aluminum followed by Styrofoam. While these were more reliable and long lasting, these have many other environmental and health concerns.

Styrofoam is non-biodegradable and non-recyclable. It can take 500 years or more to decompose. Since this is non-recyclable, it gets dumped as landfill and stays there for years. Manufacturing process for Styrofoam requires use of chemicals that release large amounts of ozone into the atmosphere, that can cause respiratory issues. Eating and drinking out of these Styrofoam products can also cause health problems.

Statistics show that use of Styrofoam products can cause irritation of the skin, eyes and respiratory tract and gastrointestinal problems. Chronic exposure affects the nervous system, causing symptoms like depression, headache, fatigue and weakness, and minor effects on kidney function and blood. Not to mention, when these are sitting in landfills and innocent animals end up mistaking these for food, it threatens their health.

Now there is a big push to go back to our original roots and seek tree-based products. The good news is that technology has grown to new heights and can support much more biodegradable options. The research shows that almost all the tree and plant waste can be used to develop sustainable products, and these items are fully biodegradable. Some may argue that these items cost more than Styrofoam or plastic. While this is true that biodegradable options are costlier than other toxic materials, it is imperative that we also analyze the cost of human health and environmental cost. These costs are much higher than the saving the use of non-biodegradable products.

We just need to stop using these and make the necessary change. Sometimes, I see people thinking that everyone else is using it and if I stop it is only one person. Remember, you are the one person who can make a difference. As Gandhi stated, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” If each one of us decides to change ourselves, the earth will change and will be a better place to live.

Remember to RECREATE and RESHAPE our own environment, our own future, and the future of our upcoming generations.

Thanks for reading Beyond the Journey!

Never Quit…Your Turn Will Come!

Pankaj Mital — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 14:26:05 +0000

You only lose when you quit. We are all going to fail or fall on our faces once in a while. I have failed many times in my life and have always got back on my feet. If you fail one time or more times, that does not define that you as a failure. If you continue to go, your turn will certainly come, and you will win.

Failure is part of the journey and must be embraced with open arms. This is when you learn. When you do not give up, there will always be a light at the end of the tunnel. Keep in mind that success almost never happens on your first attempt. No matter what anyone’s situation is, we all face some setbacks and failures. We must learn from these setbacks, pull ourselves together, and make new attempts by applying what we just learned. You only lose when you give up. Otherwise, it is all about learning and persisting.

Fear is not there to scare us. Fear is just there to caution us. It is a checkpoint to push us to analyze the situation, muster our courage, and take over the challenge. The choice is simple and we just need to make the right decision while keeping a positive viewpoint. When we doubt ourselves or fear failure, we tend to give up. It is important to be ready to accept failure. Failure is an essential step in the journey towards success.

While fear is an internal feeling, most of the time it is generated by external forces. People from outside will make noise to drag you down. They will doubt your capabilities and talk about what if… to make you doubt yourself. When people hide behind their fear, their growth stops. You start feeling that you are unlucky or not worthy of this growth. This happens when we make fear an excuse and let it take over our willpower.

Looking at other peoples’ lives and wishing that we had their lives is just looking at their success and not understanding their struggles. We need to keep going and learn to find the right opportunity. It is crucial to understand that when we fail at something that just means it is not meant for us or that it may not be the right time. Your time will come if you continue to move forward and work towards your goals.

DEV Community: Pankaj Mital

Recreate...Reshape...

Never Quit…Your Turn Will Come!