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Kiwis have a responsibility to extend on Plastic Free July

Monday 23rd July

Kiwis have a responsibility to extend on Plastic Free July


Honeywrap, the original eco-friendly beeswax food wrap, has launched a new print design to help aid the crucial work of marine mammal welfare organisation Project Jonah this Plastic Free July.

Designed by Wellington artist Cat McKay of Natty, 50c from every Project Jonah print purchased will be donated back to the organisation on their mission to protect New Zealand’s marine wildlife.

“New Zealand boasts the fourth largest marine environment in the world, but we suspect our precious whales and dolphins may be washing up sicker than ever because of plastic in our waters,” says Daren Grover, General Manager of Project Jonah.

“Marine mammals face many threats, and have done so for millennia. However, the recent explosion in the amount of single use plastics being found in the sea represents a whole new danger. A whale or dolphin can easily mistake a plastic bag for a jellyfish or squid and eat it, leading to malnutrition, and ultimately death.”

It is estimated there are over 150 million tonnes of plastics in the world's oceans today and at the current rate of pollution, the ocean is expected to contain one tonne of plastic for every three tonnes of fish by 2025, and devastatingly by 2050, more plastic than fish (by weight). Although ocean pollution from plastics is a worldwide problem, the impact of it here in New Zealand is massive because of the size of our marine environment.

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With this month being Plastic Free July, environmentally conscious Kiwis like the team at Honeywrap are providing a number of solutions to eliminate or cut down on plastic. For example, just one honeywrap can save the equivalent of 75 metres of plastic food wrap if used daily for a school year.

Celebrating their five year business anniversary, Honeywrap co-founder Jo Falloon says Kiwi’s efforts to reduce plastic waste must go beyond this month. “Even though this is a massive world-wide problem and we are only a small nation of people, we can play our part. In fact, we are known for leading the way with women’s rights and innovative technologies – the world watches us. I believe we as Kiwis have a big responsibility on our hands to show the world how it’s done.”

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