Utilizing banana leaves as packaging is obviously not a new concept to us Filipinos — we’ve all probably been raised to associate banana leaves with delicious food. From plates to packaging, no one would bat an eye at the use of banana leaves. But it can, and should, be taken a step further to replace more commercialized forms of packaging.
(Reusable bubble tea tumblers could make a big difference in reducing plastic waste)
A supermarket in Thailand, Perfect Homes Chiang Mai, has been making its rounds on the internet for what could be the first extensively commercial use of banana leaf packaging. They made the first step to shifting into more sustainable means by switching out the plastic typically used to bundle fruits and vegetables. Instead, they’ve wrapped banana leaves around the fresh items to serve as a parcel.
Some have pointed out that the packaging is not entirely sustainable as it makes use of stickers and tape.
It does manage to significantly lessen the amount of plastic needed though, which is still a victory for the environment.
(60 billion sachets and 17.5 billion plastic bags are thrown each year in the Philippines)
This stands as a testament to the idea that sustainable alternatives always exist. Corporations assert that shifting to sustainability is too expensive or lacks realistic options but small changes like these show how untrue that is. With the immense harm that plastic packaging is already doing to the environment, isn’t it time we change that?
Do you think something like this can be done in the Philippines?
Photo source: Perfect Homes
