No more plastic straws

Recent trends of increased plastic use across Fiji have seen a threat to the marine life and environment. Fiji’s Department of Environment has revealed via conducted research that Fiji uses on average of 50 to 60 million plastic bags yearly. The alarming threat to the environment was the catalyst behind the Government of Fiji, under the leadership of Prime Minister and COP23 President Frank Bainimara, imposing a plastic bag levy under the “Environment and Climate Adaptation Levy”.

According to Plastic Oceans, the devastating impact of onetime-use plastic items contribute to an estimated 300 million tons of plastics produced on an annual basis; whereby approximately 8 million tons of it gets dumped into our oceans. This green initiative by the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa will account for the elimination of using more than 50 thousand plastic straws annually across the entire property.

“Plastic pollution is a global phenomenon that has crept up on us over the decades, and it really requires now more than ever global reaction. With the introduction of this plastic straw-free campaign we hope to do our part in managing and using plastic more wisely which in turn might inspire more hospitality operators to do the same,” said Mr. Andrew Davidson, Area General Manager South Pacific at InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa.

“Taking meaningful steps to eliminating plastic straws and other plastic items will help reduce our environmental footprint, and advance our long term sustainability goals as environmental stewards. Biodegradable paper straws will now substitute plastic straws and be provided to our guests only upon request across all our outlets,” he concluded.

The announcement comes alongside the existing environmental initiatives across our IHG properties. This includes IHG Green Engage, an online sustainability system which helps hotels save money on utility costs, win business, and reduce environmental impact. InterContinental Fiji also facilitates other smaller local projects including marine conservation initiatives like ‘Coral planting’ and ‘Reef-Ology’. These activities are seen through by the Reef Safari’s team who educate everyone on the importance of coral reefs and issues impacting the marine ecosystem.

One of two iconic Fijian hotels owned by the Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) and managed by (IHG), InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa provides services that go beyond the world-renowned Fijian warmth and hospitality to give guests authentic, enriching experiences and insights into Fijian culture.

InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa is part of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) – one of the world’s largest hotel groups with more than 4,500 hotels in 110 countries and territories

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Source: Blog