GIZ Pacific concludes its Plastic Free July activities under the CleanSeas – Preventing Marine Litter in Pacific Island Countries project, encouraging people to rethink their relationship with plastic and adopt more sustainable practices beyond the month-long campaign.
GIZ Pacific says on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN), the CleanSeas project supports Pacific Island countries in preventing marine litter through improved waste management, stronger partnerships and greater public awareness.
They say throughout July, GIZ Pacific staff took part in activities aimed at promoting lasting behaviour change, including an office-wide recycling initiative, a screening of the award-winning documentary A Plastic Ocean, awareness messages from project leaders and knowledge-sharing sessions.
Staff were also encouraged to separate recyclable materials at the workplace and bring recyclables from home that may have otherwise ended up as general waste.
At the end of the campaign, plastics, paper, cardboard and other recyclable materials collected during the month were delivered to the I Recycle Hub at Ratu Sukuna Park.
GIZ Pacific says the initiative showed how simple actions can divert valuable materials away from landfills and the environment while encouraging people to see waste as a resource rather than something to be discarded.
Speaking at the conclusion of the campaign, GIZ Representative in the South Pacific and Head of Project CleanSeas, Frauke Bartels, says Plastic Free July serves as a reminder that everyone has a role to play in protecting the environment.
Bartels says plastic pollution is one of the biggest environmental challenges, but it is also one that everyone can help address through daily choices.
She says actions such as carrying reusable water bottles, refusing single-use plastics, separating recyclables and encouraging others to do the same can all contribute to reducing plastic pollution.
She also highlights the importance of partnerships in addressing marine litter across the Pacific.
She says collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) shows how partnerships can inspire action and create practical solutions that benefit both people and the environment.
A key part of the campaign was a presentation by Pacific Recycling Foundation Founder Amitesh Deo, who encouraged participants to look beyond plastic pollution and focus on the behaviours that contribute to the issue.
