The environment around you is chocking and sea animals continue to die thanks to your high affinity for plastics. Now, stores in Asia are embracing use of banana leaves instead of plastic packaging and are being praised for that.
The initiative has been copied from the natives of Thailand and is immensely gaining popularity. It was first shared on Facebook on 21st March this year by a real estate company, Perfect Homes.
The move was adopted from Thailand locals by supermarkets in Vietnam. Romping Supermarket in Chiangmai is one such store that effectively wrapped asparagus, spring onions, bean pods, cucumbers and other vegetables in banana leaves.
The move was soon afterwards adopted by big supermarkets in Vietnam such as Lotte Mart. The supermarkets are experimenting the move and may likely adopt it. The biggest three supermarkets in Vietnam are in the banana leaves packaging campaign.
A media report from a local paper reported that shoppers at a Lotte Mart outlet in Ho Chi Minh City were recently surprised to see scallions, okra and other vegetables wrapped in banana leaves, adding that the company will expand the use of banana leaves to the entire chain in the country later this year, following a trial period in the southern city.
The move started about two months ago and was to be tested for one month. This being the third month, it means that it could have been permanently adopted.
A representative from a major store, Big C was quoted saying: “In the short term, supermarkets will apply a vegetable package with banana leaves continuously for 1 month, starting from 1/4, then study to expand this job”.
The move by the Vietnamese supermarkets should be applauded by Kenyan stores and grocers since it is very replicable.
According to the United Nations Environmental report 2018, 128 countries have adopted laws to curb plastic bags.
Third world countries are innocently succumbing to the effects or irresponsible environmental degradation by first world countries such as the US and Japan.
Packaging the vegetables in banana leaves would be a beautiful step towards saving the environment and would also earn banana farmers some little more cash.