A campaign aimed at banning single-use plastic bags by 2020 has been initiated by Maldives Getaways as a CSR project in partnership with various other stakeholders. The campaign appropriately named as “Ban The Bags” aims to ban single use plastic bags across the nation in an effort to save the fragile marine and coastal environment of Maldives.
In 2015, over 66 million bags worth over MVR 17 million was imported to Maldives according to Maldives Customs Service. Most of the bags are dumped in to the oceans which damages the fragile underwater marine life and the ecosystem.
Approximately 8 million metric tons of plastic debris enter the world’s oceans each year. The latest studies and research estimate that there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050. Every day 8 million of waste ends up in the biggest bin of modern societies: the Ocean. The amount of waste found in the oceans is so much that its build-up has created massive continents whose size represents 1/3 of Europe.
Marine mammals are choking; oceans are suffocating and Mankind is under threat: such pollution holds many negative consequences for the environment. Only a reduction at the source will ensure a sustainable and efficient fight against such catastrophe.
Maldives Getaways has successfully implemented single use plastic bag bans in two islands of Maldives over the last 15 months, namely AA. Bodufolhudhoo & V.Keyodhoo.
