KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 (Bernama) -- It’s quite easy to picture a row of children proudly waving the Jalur Gemilang during our Merdeka celebrations, or hundreds of Malaysians singing Negaraku at the annual Independence Day parade.
 |
| Giant's 3 Million Reusable Bags Giveaway encourage change of habits for a sustainable future Available in several eye-catching colours, Giant's reusable bags inspires changed habits with cool alternative to plastic bags! |
Now, try to imagine five trillion plastic bags lining the ground of our beloved Mother Earth. You may be surprised but, yes, five trillion plastic bags, or about 160,000 bags a second, are used worldwide every year.
In Malaysia, while there are no accurate figures, the Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association estimates that the average citizen uses 300 plastic bags a year. Based on a population of 30 million, this totals up to nine billion bags being consumed, and thrown away, annually.
Our plastic consumption leaches chemicals and toxins into surrounding ecosystems, clogs up every square kilometer of ocean, threatens human and animal populations, and when incinerated, releases greenhouse gases into the environment. Plastic bags also take hundreds of years to decompose and add to the waste accumulated in landfills and natural habitats.
“Plastic bags are easily available, but the next time you use one, consider their impact on the environment and the future,” said Mr. I.S. Shanmugaraj, Executive Director, Malaysian Nature Society. “There are alternatives to plastic bags, but most of us are so conditioned to using plastic that we fail to see other sustainable solutions that reduce littering, offer increased recycling capacities and that conserve, not destroy, our surroundings.”
Getting families to lead the way
One organisation committed to reducing the usage of plastic bags nationwide is Giant, the country’s leading retail chain. As a household name, Giant is doing their part to instill increased environmental consciousness by spearheading a campaign that supports the country’s green focus and highlights the damage caused by plastic bags on our surroundings.
While some consumers are trying to reduce the use of plastic bags, thanks to encouragement by the government and private sector, Giant’s 1 Million Reusable Bags Giveaway will further help parents instill environmentally-conscious values in their children and nurture a sustainable Mother Earth for both current and future generations.
Implemented nationwide even though only some states adhere to the no-plastic ruling, Giant’s 1 Million Reusable Bags Giveaway is built on 4 simple yet impactful actions:
- Place a Reusable Bag in the hands of customers
- Reinforce the message that there are better alternatives to plastic bags
- Replace millions of plastic bags with a much-reduced number of reusable ones
- Drive a sustainable change of habit
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30162
No comments:
Post a Comment