It seems like every year there is some sort of garbage crisis in Lebanon, where landfill sites from cities spill into the Mediterranean Sea. A new movement, called #BalaPlastic mains to take aim at plastic, but to help fight against the problem of waste in general. While it seems like baby steps, look to any household garbage now in the Middle East. Bottles and bottles and plastic bags upon plastic bags. #BalaPlastic’s aim is to convince people to shy away from single-use plastic products like water bottles, cups, cutlery, and straws.
In Lebanon, only an estimated 10% of its garbage gets recycled. Alternatives?
Don’t buy bottled water. Make more real food, and eat less frozen, packaged junk. Bring your own bags to the store. Shop at a local greengrocer who doesn’t wrap veggies and fruit in easy to consume plastic coverings.
Actions that give local Lebanese hope are Greenpeace’s ship the Rainbow Warrior, which is travelling the Mediterranean Sea to countries like Greece, Italy and Spain to raise awareness on single use plastic. This plastic junk is impacting the future we all share. This report shows how terrible it all is. Thankfully organizations like Recycle Lebanon organize beach cleanups. See the gorgeous image taken from their last one in August from the Raouche Dalieh beach.
The group plans on growing bigger to is to make this the biggest ever beach clean up in Lebanon, with lots of NGOs, groups and individuals participating in cleaning up the beach and sorting out the plastic. Stay on top of what’s happening with plastics and Lebanon via Recycle Lebanon.
Author: Karin Kloosterman
Karin Kloosterman is an award-winning journalist and publisher that founded Green Prophet to unite a prosperous Middle East. She shows through her work that positive, inspiring dialogue creates action that impacts people, business and planet. She has published in thought-leading newspapers and magazines globally, owns an IoT tech chip patent, and is part of teams that build world-changing products to make agriculture and our planet more sustainable. Reach out directly to [email protected]