Sustainable travel: goodbye to those plastic bags!
As I walk through the city with my reusable bag to do some shopping, I decide to use my own bag when paying. "Oh no, thank you," I say to the shop assistant. She looks at me, puzzled, and says, "But it's free." I try to explain to her that using plastic bags is bad for the environment, but after just a few words, I notice she doesn’t seem to follow me anymore.
While the EU has made a nice list of 10 single-use plastic items that should be banned in 2019, the president of
Uganda started by banning plastic bags in early 2018. A nice start, but unfortunately, it takes a while before you truly see this reflected in daily life in Uganda.
Plastic in Kampala: how clean is the capital of Uganda?
Well on its way, that’s what we can say. When driving through the streets of
Kampala, it’s generally clean. Garbage trucks frequently drive around, there are people hired to keep the streets tidy, and in most shops and restaurants, you get your items in fabric bags or paper bags. Further out in the suburbs, waste is dumped in designated areas where people sort through it. What can’t be reused is burned in the open air. All in all, nothing is separated...
Rubbish in Uganda: set it on fire!
In Uganda, there are no garbage trucks or waste incineration facilities. Instead, each household has its own rubbish heap, which is set on fire at the end of the afternoon. This explains the unusual smell that many tourists talk about—the burning scent that is often in the air. The thousands of small fires scattered across Uganda are a source of this odour.
When travelling through Uganda, it’s inevitable to notice the abundance of plastic and waste. It’s such a common sight here that it seems like no one really cares about it. This makes it very difficult to make a difference or even begin to address these almost endless piles of waste and plastic.
Sustainable crafting: getting creative with plastic
What’s really fun to see, though, is how children are often very creative with plastic. They make kites, footballs, and even toy cars from recycled plastic. Additionally, there are people who use plastic bottles as building material for their homes. They fill the bottles with sand and create sturdy walls. These innovative approaches show how plastic gets a second life and contributes to sustainability.
If you’re also keen on sustainable crafting, take a look at the Ocean Sole project. This project aims to turn plastic waste into colourful artworks, such as sculptures of wild animals made from recycled flip-flops. It’s an inspiring example of how creativity and environmental consciousness can come together to make a positive impact.
Discount: a motivation to reduce plastic.
It’s encouraging to see that in restaurants run by Westerners in Uganda, more and more efforts are being made to reduce plastic usage. Plastic straws are being replaced with reusable metal ones, and in some places, you even get a discount if you bring your own reusable coffee cup. You can also refill your water bottle for a small fee. These positive developments are characterised by the motto "Mpola, Mpola," which means "slowly, slowly" in Luganda.
We encourage everyone, especially those venturing to Uganda or other African countries, to lead by example. Bring your own cotton bags and water bottle. Don’t leave trash on the streets, even though it might be tempting given the abundance of it. Drink as much as possible from glass containers and share your knowledge about plastic use with others. Together, we can contribute to a more sustainable future and raise awareness!
