A Case Against Disposable Utensils

We've spent a lot of time discussing ways to reduce our use of disposable containers, bags and plastic bottles, but we haven't gotten that much into disposal utensils. Now is as good a time as any, right?

Photo courtesy of Earth Touch News Network http://www.earthtouchnews.com/

Did you know that 8 million metric tons of plastic is dumped in the ocean every year? To give you a reference, 1 metric ton is 2204.62 pounds. 8 million metric pounds is 17 billion-637 million-200 thousand pounds. 17,637,200,000. That.is.bananas.

Most places in the world don't have the proper tools or systems to dispose of plastics or to even recycle them, so they inevitably end up in the world's water systems. Rivers, lakes, oceans - you name it, they're there. These plastics eventually end up inside marine animals, where they slowly kill them. It's torturous and an indignity, and it's even sadder because their deaths are easily avoidable.

Easily avoidable, you say?

Yes, it's easy to help lessen our environmental impact on the environment, but starting with yourself. Just like we encourage using reusable containers, bags and water bottles in lieu of styrofoam and disposable plastics, we encourage you to join the fight against plastic utensils by just saying no.

Most restaurants will automatically bring out a straw for you because it's second nature to them now, so all you have to do when you order a drink is to ask for no straw. If you go to a takeaway store armed with your own containers, take your own reusable utensils as well. Let's be honest, plastic picnic forks and spoons aren't exactly the most convenient to eat with anyways, so having your own normal sized utensils would actually be a benefit.

Saying no to straws and plastic utensils won't negatively affect your life in any way, but it will positively affect the environment in a big way. Remember, every little bit counts, so start making small, mindful changes in your every day life, and the planet will thank you!

Roatan Divers Goes Greener: Rental Reusable Containers

As divers, it's our responsibility to approach our business and life from a conservation-minded standpoint. After joining Go Blue Central America this year, we were inspired to create a more positive impact on the environment and support sustainability. While we have worked to minimize our water consumption and increase environmental awareness this season, we will be enacting some bigger initiatives to go even greener for next season.

One idea we have for next season is to have a supply of reusable containers available for guests to rent so that we can minimize styrofoam consumption. If you know you're going to go get takeaway food for lunch or want to bring your own lunch to the dive center, you can rent takeaway containers from us, and return them when you're done.

The reusable containers will be microwavable. If you're getting takeaway food for breakfast, you can take a container home the night before, or just grab one before you go get lunch. You can rent the boxes for a day or for your entire stay, it's totally up to you! We only ask that you return the boxes clean and in the same condition that you got them. We'll have a sign-in sheet to keep track of how many boxes and bags you have so that we get the same number back at the end of your use.

We're looking into the 28 to 32 oz range for optimal food storage! [boxes by Simple Houseware]

It will be a $5 deposit to rent and you can use the items as many times as you want. If you break it, you buy it (we keep the $5), but if you return it unscathed and clean, you'll get your $5 deposit back. Not bad, right?

We hope you're as keen on this new initiative as we are! Every little bit helps, and having a more compact container is certainly easier than those big, ungainly styrofoam containers, and there's less spillage to worry about, too! We hope all of you will support our new initiatives and help Roatan Divers go green!