As a part of the training under the Green PolyU Awards – Green Office programme, a workshop on plastic-free lifestyle was held in July 2019 to conduct conversations on how to kick plastic from our daily habits.
We need no explanation about the terrifying amount of plastic waste we see every day around us. Making it worse, millions of tones of plastic flow into the ocean every year. That’s like dumping one garbage truck full of plastic into the ocean every minute. The terrifying problem with plastic is that it doesn’t go away. Some plastics are thought to stay in the environment for over 400 years. During this time, they break down into smaller and smaller bits but just don’t disappear. We have had enough evidence to tell these small pieces of plastic can be harmful and affect marine life. And we cannot deny that the plastic pollution is threatening the whole world, including Hong Kong.
Miss Amber Wan from the Business Environment Council Limited reminded all participants at the workshop that a significant amount of plastic pollution comes from the items we use, and throw away, every day – disposable food containers, beverage bottles, food packaging, plastic bags, and many others such as the microbeads and tiny plastic pellets added to personal care products. To tackle plastic pollution, it requires action at all levels, and we should all do our part. As the Government and many local green groups are running different campaigns to educate the public about the adversity of plastic pollution, it is easy to understand the answer to plastic pollution is to not create plastic waste in the first place. It’s all about kicking our plastic from our daily habits all together.
Participants were then invited to a fun-filled hands-on activity that echoes the call of kicking plastic habits. Under the guidance of two professional instructors, participants learned to make their unique beeswax food wrap with 100% cotton fabric and 100% natural beeswax. These food wraps can help keep their food items away from bacteria, and they are some good alternatives to disposable plastic food containers to reduce plastic waste.
