Biodegradable Straws
This Earth Day we’re making a pledge to reduce the amount of plastic we use at Shamwari Private Game Reserve. Earth Day 2018’s theme is to provide information and inspiration needed to fundamentally change human attitude and behaviour about plastics.
We’re thrilled to take part in this initiative as the exponential growth of plastics is threatening the survival of our planet. At our lodges, we are in the process of implementing biodegradable straws and phasing out the use of plastic straws that are a hindrance to our environment and oceans. These biodegradable straws are derived from renewable resources and will lessen the impact we have as a company on the environment significantly on Earth Day and all year round.
Here’s some eye-opening facts about the amount of disposable plastic we use, shared by Earth Day Network:
- About one trillion single-use plastic bags are used annually across the globe. That’s nearly 2 million every minute.
- More than half a million plastic straws are used every day around the world.
- Over half of the world’s plastic thrown out in 2015 was plastic packaging. That’s over 141 million metric tons.
- The amount of bubble wrap that is produced annually is enough to wrap around the Equator ten times.
- 16 billion disposable coffee cups are used each year. These are coated with plastic to laminate the inside and use plastic lids.
These facts shed light on how plastic is proving dangerous to our planet, health, and wildlife. However, a little goes a long way. Each person has the ability to make a difference in their everyday lives to do their bit in eradicating plastic pollution.
Let’s work towards securing a future free of plastic pollution!
