June 24, 2022by Sasha Ella

Finding a solution to plastic pollution

Imagine sitting next to an aqua blue ocean and watching a garbage truck arrive and dump a load of plastic into the sea. Are you outraged at the thought? The reality is that 10 million tons of plastic are dumped into our oceans annually … that’s a garbage truck load every minute. International environmentalists predict that if we don’t act now, by 2050 there will be more plastic in our oceans than there are fish.

As consumers, we produce over 380 million tons of plastic every year, 50% of which is used once and then thrown away and only 9% recycled. Plastic is having a negative impact on our wildlife, our plants and our natural habitats.

This month is [Plastic Free July] with the theme: ‘Be part of the solution.’ We are pleased to announce that we are trailblazing to find sustainable solutions to reducing, recycling and repurposing plastic at all our properties. We pledge to be part of the plastic solution by permanently removing guest facing, single-use plastic by the end of this year.

Sustainability is our future

As a leading conservation-focused hotel group, we have always encouraged sustainable travel.

We are acutely aware of the impact of our footprint on every living thing in and around our destinations.

If we do not embrace, protect and nurture nature, there won’t be exceptional places for our children or future generations to enjoy and experience.

After all, the circle of life revolves around a symbolic and respectful relationship between living creatures.

The plastic problem

International research by UNESCO indicates that the hotel industry uses 150 million tons of single-use plastic a year, making it a major contributor to the problem. Straws, disposable water bottles, plastic bags, bin liners and cling film are five of the ‘top 10’ plastic pollutants.

Besides killing millions of sea birds and marine mammals each year, plastic pollution is choking our planet. It can now be found in every corner of the globe … including remote wilderness areas such as Antarctica – the southernmost and least populated continent – to the Arctic Sea Ice, the deepest oceans, faraway islands and the highest mountain peaks.

Plastic has become the most frequently used product, despite how damaging it is to the environment.

Eco-tourism can be instrumental in changing perceptions and addressing environmental problems – from climate change and biodiversity loss to pollution. A starting point is saying NO to plastic.

What is single-use plastic?

Single-use plastics are those disposable items that are only used once and then discarded … think plastic straws, plastic water bottles, cotton buds, coffee stirrers, plastic cups, plastic bags for laundry, all plastic packaging – for food and welcome gifts (toiletries, slippers), plastic take-away containers and even plastic key cards.

Our main objective is to kick-start our ‘no plastic’ campaign by sourcing alternatives to guest facing, single-use plastic alongside a resolution to ramp up our internal reduce, re-use and recycle programmes.

The solution

We are passionate conservationists and sustainability is part of our mantra, it comes naturally to us. We care about our environment, the natural world, wildlife and the communities who surround our properties. We want to continue to offer sustainable travel experiences and luxury hospitality but never at the expensive of our planet. The future depends on how we behave towards each other and how we treat the plants and animals that share our world with us.

Our quest to find environmentally friendly alternatives is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach but rather considered research into how we can use natural resources in an ethical way, while considering the impact, not only on the environment but also the local community. We are collaborating with staff, service providers and communities to find a creative eco-friendly solution that celebrates the locality of each destination, while highlighting local culture, heritage and supporting the community.

This means that each property will offer unique, sustainable products and have a positive impact.

A global initiative

All Mantis Hotels, Eco-lodges and Waterways, together with over 5 000 Accor Hotels in 110 countries, are part of The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, led by the UN Environment Programme and the World Tourism Organization in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. We have committed to:

Eliminating guest facing, single-use plastic by the end of 2022
Working towards eliminating plastic items that we don’t need
Ensuring we reuse, recycle and repurpose the plastic that is needed

‘Plastic pollution is one of the major environmental challenges of our time and tourism has a key role to play in contributing to the solution,’ said UN Environment Programme Economy Division Director, Ligia Noronha. ‘Through this Initiative, tourism companies and destinations are supported to reduce plastic pollution globally.’

Mantis encourages authentic and sustainable travel, offering community and conservation-focused immersion experiences. We remain focused on protecting the flourishing ecosystems that surround our destinations.

‘A plastic pollution free world is no longer a choice, it’s a commitment.’ [Amit Ray]

#plasticfree #environment #actinghere

[Plastic Free July] is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution. It sees over 326 million participants from around 117 countries across the globe help reduce single-use plastic waste every day at home, work, school, cafes and restaurants.

Pledge to be plastic free.

Join the movement. www.plasticfreejuly.org