Hydrate and recycle: Take care of your health and the environment these holidaysMany South Africans have set off for their annual holiday. Sensible travellers will ensure their beach bags and hiking rucksacks contain sunscreens and hats to protect them and their families from the summer sun, and water to slake their thirst and fend off dehydration. Source: Pexels
Bottled water is a healthy, guilt-free alternative to sugary carbonated beverages when it comes the delivering the hydration-on-the-go our bodies need during the warmer summer months. In addition, recycling the bottle can reduce its environmental footprint by 25% and ensure it does not contribute to marine pollution. This is the message from South African National Bottled Water Association (Sanbwa) executive director, Charlotte Metcalf, who urges holidaymakers to heed the anti-littering billboards and posters officials will most certainly have erected in car parks, along boulevards and sidewalks, and on poles thrust into the beach sand itself. Metcalf pointed to Marine Litter’s article dispelling the numerous myths and urban legends about marine litter. This lists several ways holidaymakers, especially beachgoers, can all play their part in tackling marine litter while on holiday on the beach as well as everyday:
Metcalf said Sanbwa’s environmental stewardship protocols address measures to ensure source sustainability and protection, water usage minimisation, energy efficiency, solid waste minimisation and support post-consumer recycling initiatives. “The best way to ensure you are being environmentally responsible when consuming bottled water is to look for the Sanbwa logo on the bottle. Alternatively, seek out the resin code which must be embossed into the bottle within the ‘recycle’ triangle. Those numbered 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 are most often used for food and beverage packaging in South Africa, are therefore safe to come into contact with your food and beverages, and can be recycled, so please do,” Metcalf concluded. |