Environmental society campaigns against plastic bag usage outside the Capital

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The Environment Society of Oman (ESO) gave the locals of Sur a mass of information and giveaways as well as thousands of free reusable jute shopping bags to kick off its 'No to Plastic Bags for Oman' roadshow.

Taking the cause to five towns outside of the Capital over the next five months, ESO, supported by Oman LNG LLC, scored a hit with the locals who have previously been exposed to very little information about the damage plastic bags are having on the environment.

The Minister of Environment and Climate Affairs fully endorsed the campaign and H.E. Sayyid Hamood bin Faisal Al Busaidy in a recent statement declared, 'This campaign aims at encouraging everyone to reduce the consumption of plastic bags given the threats that they pose to human and environmental health. I would like to invite the public and private sectors along with the wider community to join efforts and contribute to making this campaign a success.'

'Reduce and reuse is the message we are putting across at these road shows. Most people do not realise the impact plastic bags are having on our marine life, birds and land mammals, and the fact that many are dying unnecessarily as a result of our carelessness and frivolity,'

says H.H. Sayyida Tania bint Shabib Al Said of ESO.

The road show, designed using the expertise and recommendations of some of the Sultanate's most passionate environmentalists, will continue to urge residents to reuse plastic bags and opt for reusable cloth bags.

'We have partnered with both Aramex and Towell Auto LLC to make our Tour of Oman a success. Aramex are providing us with a branded van and Towell Auto have made the reusable bags for the Tour,' adds H.H. Sayyida Tania bint Shabib Al Said.

According to ESO, plastic bags are contaminating soil and oceans due to their inability to biodegrade, and as a result entering the food chain when ingested by animals. Every year, approximately one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals die by suffocating or mistaking plastic bags for food.

'We all use plastic bags and we can now play our part by using less and less. We forget there is a cost, there is the initial cost of the oil used in their manufacturer, and then there is the cost of cleaning up after they have been discarded. It's a total waste of valuable resources,'

added Dr. Brian Buckley of Oman LNG LLC, main supporter in this initiative.

Part of a six month campaign targeting the public, retail outlets and school children, ESO hopes to not only raise awareness but also drum up public and retail support to push for government regulation of plastic bags in the Sultanate.

The roadshow will next hit Sohar on 25-27th December followed by Nizwa and Ibra in January and February next year.