Plastic use has become indispensable in our daily lives be it in homes, offices or industries. Our dependence on plastic is so huge that one finds it extremely difficult to take them out of our lives completely even if they want to. Plastic pollution is ravaging exponentially as we find new uses of plastic constantly which is and has always been a cheaper and convenient option. It’s the lack of reusability and extremely slow degradation that makes plastic the worst threat to our planet.
Fortunately, there has been a great increase in awareness among people around the world in recent years about the rampant plastic pollution and how seriously it is damaging the ecosystem. People are now trying to take measures to reduce the plastic use in their daily lives. But at some point, you realize there is only so much you can do. Plastic is everywhere, from the food containers and tetra packs having plastic inner lining, to the kitchen countertops and the lining of cooking pans.
However, there are people tirelessly looking for alternatives to plastic in packaging and in general. One such young entrepreneur from Indonesia is strongly determined to fight this rampant plastic use and bring about the change by using Seaweed as an alternative. Indonesia is currently struggling to fight the explosion in plastic waste that has polluted its rivers and beaches. It is currently the highest marine plastic polluter after China. Poorer communities rely heavily on single use and cheap plastic bags, small snack packs, shampoo sachets, etc. There is an urgent need to look for biodegradable alternatives for packaging.
David Christian, 25-year-old, has taken up this cause and has recently created a start-up – Evoware- that produces seaweed product which are edible, including jelly glasses, sachets, and food wrapping. They are hand-produced. This inventor has demonstrated its use in coffee sachets, soap packing or as a general wrapping material for any food items such as burgers, etc. When you dip the coffee sachet in hot water, the cover dissolves and you have a delicious, eco-friendly cup of coffee in front of you!
Similarly, you can eat the burger with its wrapping intact and experience the nutrition of seaweed along with the burger. Seaweed as an alternative seems to be very promising. Indonesia, with its more than 34000 miles of coastline and around the year sunshine, has quite favorable conditions for seaweed farming. Proper support from the government and a shift in consumer practices will enable this bioplastic to be brought to mainstream.
These kind of work by young and passionate people instills enthusiasm and motivates people to work harder, fight against the pollution and make a better, cleaner planet for the coming generations. Kudos to the efforts and passion of this entrepreneur!
- Seaweed in Food Packaging is Indonesia’s Alternative to Plastic Pollution - March 18, 2019
- World Wildlife Day: Preserving the Oceans from Plastic Pollution - March 4, 2019
- Indian safeguard Duty On Imported Solar Panels Will Raise Tariffs - February 19, 2019
- How Renewable Energy Could Aid Oman In Meeting Energy Targets - December 9, 2018
- Africa Plastic Ban: How Kenya, Mali, Uganda, Ethiopia, Morocco Put It Up - September 22, 2018
I’m a retired doctor from South Mumbai. I would like to do my little bit for the environment but have no idea how to go about it. Please can you guide?