On Tuesday, 12 June, the winners of the “No Plastic – That’s Fantastic” school poster competition were announced at Outrigger on the Lagoon – Fiji! Each winner received $500 for their school, plus $100 for themselves. The winning schools and students were presented with their prizes by the President of Fiji, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau.
Back in March of this year, the Coral Coast Hotel Association launched their “No Plastic – That’s Fantastic” campaign on the Coral Coast. Over 20,000 eco-friendly shopping bags were distributed to the school children in the Nadroga/ Navosa provinces.
In partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Education, Sigatoka Council and the Retailers Association, the hoteliers are determined to rid the Coral Coast and surrounding provinces of plastic bags.
The campaign involves poster competitions, Cleanest School competition, oratory competitions and music and dance competitions.
Fundamentally, the whole idea is based on the distribution of eco-friendly shopping bags to all households and school children on the Coral Coast so that when people go shopping, the goods they purchase are placed in their shopping bags rather than plastic bags. The whole concept is based on the Coral Coast becoming a plastic-free zone.
The campaign will also be supported by the Cleanest Village, Greenest Retailer and Greenest Market Vendor.
All guests visiting the Outrigger on the Lagoon – Fiji resort currently receive a complimentary shopping bag upon check-in to use when they go shopping and also go on day tours!
THE Coral Coast has taken the bold step of banning the use of plastic bags from its hotels with the launching of the “No Plastic That’s Fantastic” initiative at the Outrigger On the Lagoon in Sigatoka yesterday.
Resort general manager Peter Hopgood said the campaign would ensure plastic bags were a thing of the past for the people of Sigatoka. “It is imperative that we reduce the number of plastic bags given by retailers,” he said.
Mr Hopgood said with the help of the Sigatoka Town Council, an edict to all retailers in Sigatoka would be sent out to stop the use of plastic bags and encourage shoppers to bring their own shopping bags.
“The message is quite clear, when you go to the shops take your shopping bags with you so that the retailer can place the goods directly into your shopping bag and negate the need for a plastic bag,” he said.
Mr Hopgood said his resort was also taking the extra step to issue eco-bags to guests as they enter the hotel.
“We will encourage them to use their shopping bags when going on shopping tours into Sigatoka and at the retail outlets within the resort.”
Launching the initiative yesterday, Local Government Minister Colonel Samuela Saumatua thanked Mr Hopgood and the Coral Coast Hoteliers Association for their contribution to the program.
“The province of Nadroga- Navosa will benefit largely in this partnership as this will create a friendly environment on land and sea and will allow its population to live in a lively and resilient manner,” said Col. Saumatua.
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