Some very useful tips from the Gansbaai Tourism office on a greener lifestyle:
Most plastic shopping bags end up in landfill or in the sea where they are often swallowed by animals. These animals suffer a terrible and slow death, after which the plastic bag still remains in the environment. Choose a beautiful reusable fabric shopper and say “no thanks!” next time the cashier asks if you would like to buy a plastic bag.
Straws are one of the most common rubbish items found on our beaches. Much like plastic bags, straws are often swallowed by marine creatures, resulting in blockages which ultimately cause death. Refuse this luxury item next time you buy a cold drink or milkshake, you’ll be surprised by how unnecessary it is.
Balloons are festive and pretty, but this comes at a cost. Released balloons end up in the environment where they kill animals when they are mistaken for food and eaten. Animals are also strangled in balloon debris and die slow and unnecessary deaths. Biodegradable balloons take months, even years to degrade by which time the damage has already been done.
South African tap water is safe to drink and amongst the best in the world! Often, bottled water is no different from tap water. Bottled water is sold at a premium due to the apparent convenience, but the result is just more unnecessary plastic waste that ends up in the environment. Keep a reusable bottle handy and fill it from a tap or water cooler.
Elrina Versfeld
