As part of its commitment to reduce single use plastics in the United Arab Emirates, marine conservation group, Azraq recently announced a campaign specifically targeting plastic cutlery in the region, which has been turned into art by students in Dubai.
The campaign, entitled #uselessutensils enabled residents to provide their leftover plastic cutlery to Freedom Pizza delivery drivers or at collection points offered by Carcluccio’s, Beitfann Studio and Lush
Middle East within the United Arab Emirates between 5 May to 15 June 2019. Since then Azraq’s member schools have been busy compiling artwork from the recovered plastic utensils, which highlights the impacts of marine debris on the marine environment in readiness for a friendly competition, which will also include art from sustainability artist, Mariska Nell.
“In 2016, Worldcentric.org estimated that 40 billion plastic utensils were used every year in the United States alone, the majority of which was thrown out after just one use, ending up in landfills and waterways,” Natalie Banks, Managing Director of Azraq said.
“Plastic utensils are among the items we have found along the coastlines of the United Arab Emirates during our beach clean ups and are, like plastic straws, most of the time unnecessary.”
The artworks have come from Repton, Gems Modern Academy and Clarion and include a turtle impected by marine debris, dead marine life in a sea of rubbish inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Nights” piece and another piece that highlights the need to eat clean in order to save marine life, which not only used the plastic utensils, but paper plates also.
“I am incredibly amazed by the artworks presented and I believe that the judges, which consist of our partners Freedom Pizza, Lush, Carlucio’s and Beitfann Studio will have a huge job on their hands in choosing one winner,” Ms Banks said.
“I am looking forward to having the artwork up on display in public for the people’s vote and for the final award ceremony with the schools in mid-September.”
“Across The Globe, we ‘re All Need To Do Our Share Of Reducing Single Use Plastics, which is What Is The Place #plasticfreeJuly Initiative taking , Worldwide Is All About. Outlets Have Focussed On The Ditching Plastic Straw In The Bangladesh Saudi Arabia color : as Part Of Our #stopsucking Campaign we launched last year in conjunction with Freedom Pizza; this year we are urging them to ditch the plastic utensils, providing an alternative like bamboo or birchwood sets and making customers opt-in for these, “Ms Banks said.
“Most of the time, home and work deliveries do not need to have plastic utensils included with the order as the person has access to their own cutlery.”
This is yet another example of Azraq’s Marine Debris campaign, which has to date focussed on cigarette butts, balloon releases and plastic straws as well as offering beach clean ups as part of corporate social
responsibility for schools and corporates, illustrating how small changes can have big impacts.
To find out further information regarding the #useless utensils campaign visit: https://azraqme.org/uselessutensils
