Read about our visit to the deposit money store. A pop-up store in the Groendaelstraat 14 (Antwerp), from the 15th to the 17th of November 2018.
The occasion for this pop-up was to sensitize people in the way they use and deposit plastic bottles. People could hand in their empty PET bottles in exchange for a symbolic euro. This concept was invented by the firm Ecover. Ecover is a Belgian company and a trendsetter in the making of household products with an ecological purpose.
The issue with PET bottles was recently cited in the parliament. Deservedly, because it appears that annually, a big part of the waste consists out of plastic. Because of that, annually 800.000 kilograms of plastic ends up in the ocean. If this continues, by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. Concerning, right?
Ecover tries to battle plastic with his business by:
- Using bottles that are made out of 100% recycled plastic.
- They are looking for new innovative products and materials, such as degradable materials of natural origin.
- Enlarging the awareness of people, concerning the environment.
In conclusion, the main objective here is taking responsibility for the environment.
Intention of the store:
- Depositing the PET bottles in a large basket.
- With this basket, they will make a table.
The fun part about this is that they show that plastic does have a future if you recycle it!
To emphasize on this even more, there was a small fair (TRASH TO TREASURE) where they displayed some objects that can be and are in fact made out of plastic. This was really mind-blowing and surprising to discover!
OUR EXPERIENCE
This was a very educational experience for us. We noticed that this concept spoke to all generations, young and old. There was a lot of interaction going on between the visitors. The facts and numbers made a deep impact on us. You become aware of the impact that plastic has on our society and on the environment. It was definitely eye-opening. I makes you think more about the way you use, buy and deposit plastic. A lot of plastic is superfluous. On top of this, the staff members took you along in their journey around plastic, which was very intriguing.
With this small article, we would like to make you think about how much plastic you buy and throw away. Maybe look around to see how many things are wrapped or made out of plastic. Concerning right?
We already donated 1 euro to show our support. Will you?
Below, you can find two articles about the pop-up store (unfortunately in Dutch).
http://www.gondola.be/nl/news/fmcg/ecover-opent-tijdelijke-statiegeld-store-antwerpen
https://www.hln.be/regio/antwerpen/krijg-1-euro-voor-petfles-in-statiegeld-shop~a117566d/
By Henri Desmet & Barbara Allaert (antwerpmeetssustainability@zoho.com)
Antwerp Meets Sustainability 