How to be sustainable in a country where recycling does not exist

In Africa, reducing the use of plastics is a necessity

The most advanced economies on the planet do not stop consuming, but they have the necessary means to recycle much of what they produce. However, in developing countries, the only way to be sustainable is to replace the most polluting products, such as plastic, with less harmful ones. That is what we have started to do at Orango Parque Hotel, but we are looking for new alternatives. Can you help us?

A sea full of plastics

When you walk along the beach of an uninhabited virgin island like Poilão (Guinea Bissau), in the middle of the ocean, more than 4 hours by boat from the mainland, and you see that the shore is full of plastics, you realize that pollution is a problem that affects us all. And it is that much of this waste comes from very distant places, even from other continents, and is carried by currents.

The result of this situation generates a problem that in the coming years could worsen the state of the planet worldwide. As surely will the fact that, in less evolved economies, recycling does not yet exist.

Something that, far from being criticized, is merely obvious. Because when you have so many problems to solve at the level of basic needs such as education, health or food security, you don’t have time or resources to think about managing the waste you generate.

When the only way to recycle is to reuse

In these territories, including Guinea Bissau, recycling is equivalent to reusing objects, as our grandparents did, or, ultimately, burning.

Because no matter how much you collect the containers you use, if you do not have factories where they can be treated, the only way to put an end to them is to give them a second, third or fourth life, turning plastic pollutants into eternal company objects.

Something that for many Guineans has become a kind of art, and they transform everyday objects such as plastic bottles into storage cans; and soda cans melted into pots and pans, among others.

For all these reasons, the only way to try to be more understanding of the planet in places like Guinea Bissau is to reduce the use of harmful materials such as plastic and encourage the use of reusable containers.

Operación #OrangoPlasticFree

In this regard, facing the new season, at Orango Parque Hotel we want to implement a series of measures, which we trust will help us to be a little more sustainable.

Among them is the elimination of the use of highly polluting plastic straws; and all kinds of plastic containers. Thus, the containers, glasses and cutlery that we use when we have picnics outside the hotel will gradually be replaced by others made of aluminum or bamboo, which are reusable.

We will also dispense with plastic bags whenever we can, and instead we will reuse the sacks in which rice is traditionally transported, which stand out for their great resistance.

In the case of the mineral water bottles that are continuously consumed in the hotel, they will be replaced by reusable 20-liter water cans, which will be connected to a dispenser tank, from which customers can extract the mineral water to refill their reusable containers. .

And as for the scourers we use in the kitchen, we are going to stop using the synthetic fiber ones that leave traces of microplastics, and we are going to buy new organic fiber ones that are biodegradable.

What other ideas do you have?

Visitors to Orango Parque Hotel abound with nature lovers, sustainability experts and creative people. Therefore, we would love to have your participation.

If you want to give us ideas about the use of other reusable products, or the use of biodegradable items, please send them to info@orangohotel.com.

We will analyze all the proposals and, those that are viable, both physically and economically, we will try to implement them.

And once done, we will share it with all of you through our social networks. Do you dare to participate? Any suggestions would be welcome. Thank you very much in advance for your valuable collaboration.