Eminently EveI remember back in 2019, I was flying from Norway coming back to Zimbabwe and we had a layover in Kenya. I had heard about Kenya being a no plastic-bag zone since 2017 but like many countries which have the same law on paper with zero implementation on the ground, I assumed that would be the case for Kenya too. To my surprise, they were actually very serious with their implementation, I felt it even at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Their Environmental Management and Coordination Act 2017 (cap. 387) specifically bans the “usage, manufacturing and importation of plastic bags” and they are proof that a country can have a significant improvement in single-use plastic pollution if the law is backed with a consequential implementation plan. Rwanda is another African country that also introduced the same ban and is doing exceptionally well in its implementation.
But why would a country go to the extent of fining a company that breaches this law at least $40000 USD, sentence the company’s decision makers to time in prison or even cancel their business operating licence? Why would an individual seen with a plastic bag be fined at least $500USD or attract a jail time sentence?… It goes to show the severity of plastic pollution’s devastating effects!
It is therefore sad that in our country we find it comfortable to just roll down the vehicle windows and throw out plastics and other litter into the environment without even giving it a second thought. To imagine that we were once called the “most educated nation in Africa” – it sounds far fetched now!
Some of the effects of plastic pollution include:
1]. Increased and severe flooding caused by plastic bags blocking waterways and drainage systems.
If you have ever wondered why during the rainy season roads look like rivers, it is because of the plastic bags and other litter we are dumping all over the place that are blocking the drainage systems, forcing the water to find alternative paths to flow. Serious accidents have happened due to these kinds of flooding which have resulted in the loss of houses, property and even human life.
2]. We are always complaining about how game parks and nature reserves are expensive but we are a big contributory factor through plastic and other litter pollution unfortunately.
This is because animals often confuse plastic bags and other litter that we dump in these game parks for food and end up consuming them. This blocks their digestive systems and the veterinary bill to try and save these animals is ridiculous. The affected animal most of the time ends up dying which is even more costly (if you remember this article I shared about the costs associated with running a game park). All these self-created expenses will have to be cushioned by us through entry and activity fees. Therefore, the next time you visit nature reserves & game parks and dump litter in undesignated places (or witness someone else doing it), just remember that firstly animals are getting killed due to those actions and secondly, entry and activity fees at these destinations are going to have to increase. The additional staff hired to pick the litter (which is still not possible to pick all the litter after it has been blown everywhere by wind) also attracts an additional fee.
3]. Oftentimes we talk about how a country like Zimbabwe (with an almost non existent manufacturing industry) would benefit a lot from its natural resources through domestic and international tourism. However, this litter which now taints our bushes is one of our biggest setbacks, especially when other African countries are taking serious steps to put their houses in order. Many studies have shown that plastic pollution degrades the aesthetic value of landscapes and aquatic systems. Therefore, even destinations which are plastic free but the routes to access them are infested with litter, experience significantly lower tourists. This is because psychologically, a tour starts the moment one embarks on the journey and litter en route or at the destination compromises the natural beauty one is yearning for and takes away from the experience.
Conclusion
It is my hope that in your small circle, you choose to be known as the responsible one who holds his/her peers accountable for their litter. Let us encourage one another to not bite the hand that feeds us (nature) but rather take care of her with pride.
Remember to always have a little intimacy in your life and as always I’m talking about Intimacy With Nature 🙂
