Let’s revisit environmentally-friendly options; Prasad says
It is time to revisit the traditional and more environmentally friendly options, said Vodafone Head of mCommerce and Corporate Affairs Shailendra Prasad. Mr Prasad was speaking to hundreds who showed up for the crowning of the Vodafone Festival of the Friendly North on Saturday night. Mr Prasad said it was important to look after the environment and make use of the resources available.
He said Fiji was depended heavily on imported goods and many countries made Fiji a dumping ground for cheap and environmentally non-friendly goods.
“We must realise that some of these goods that we bring in cheaply later become an environmental hazard, an eye sore for our pristine, serene and beautiful environment and a major environmental issue,” he said.
“We can already see many derelict vehicles abandoned in places around the country, old derelict ships in our harbors and plastic bottles on beaches in our seas and rivers.
“Plastics bags have been a problem for years.
“The levy on single use plastic bags was put as a deterrent.
It is time to revisit the traditional and more environmentally friendly options such as the ketekete (traditional basket) or kato as we know in Hindi, reusable bags made out of voivoi (pandanus leaves) or the walai from bushes used as string to tie your bundle of dalo leaves instead of using the rafia.”
Mr Prasad said Fijians can still have a convenient and luxurious lifestyle without being wasteful.