Our planet is an amazing place, but it needs our help to thrive. That’s why every year on April 22 people around the World celebrate Earth Day and spotlight the importance of our planet future and its protection from pollution and deforestation.
Even small initiatives can make a difference. For example, Lithuanians collect and return 9 out of 10 beverage cans as well as single-use glass and plastic bottles. And they are willing to do more!
Growing social pressure regarding waste and ecology forces countries to introduce container deposit systems . For such countries, considering charging a container deposit for plastic or glass bottles, Lithuania has a solution to follow.
The system, which has been in operation since 2016, collects more than 600 million disposable containers each year. Results from the public survey have shown that 95% of the respondents are satisfied with the way the system operates.
Lithuanian capital Vilnius also followed to single-use plastic path – the Vilnius City Council made a bold decision to ban the use of disposable plastic items in any city events. The decision is not only a practical step reducing plastic waste produced in the city, but also serves as an awareness raising among citizens regarding their waste disposal. It encourages citizens to be more aware of the impact that plastic–especially single-use items–has on our environment and on the climate.
Indeed, disposable plastic products are usually intended for a single or short use after which they are disposed of. Discarded items pollute the environment, land, waterways, and oceans, with microplastics from slowly disposing plastic items can enter the human food chain decades after the original product was first used.
Let ‘s act, innovate and implement for a greener Planet together!
