SodaStream has announced yesterday its partnership with Clean up Australia to fight against the use of plastic bottles in Australia.
The partnership aims to further strengthen SodaStream’s ongoing campaign to change the way consumers think about single use beverage bottles and its petition for a national container deposit scheme that will help reduce the 52 billion plastic bottles that end up in landfill or oceans every year.
“SodaStream is proud to partner with Clean up Australia. They align with our core values, in particular, our drive to reduce the amount of single use plastic bottle waste and to safeguard our environment for our children’s sake,” said SodaStream Australia, managing director, Mark Fenton.
Clean up Australia was founded by Ian Kiernan AO in 1989 after he was shocked and disgusted by rubbish that he continually encountered in waterways across the globe, especially his own backyard of Sydney Harbour.
“We’re excited to partner with a company, who like us, is passionate about reducing beverage container rubbish and providing an easy to use solution for consumers willing to cut their single use habits,” said Kiernan.
“By avoiding bottled water and refilling your own bottle you can help conserve resources and protect our pristine nature. You can also save money, as one bottle of water can cost you around $2.50 versus only a few cents per litre for tap water.”
Fenton said, “We’re not shy of speaking up against the plight of single use plastic bottles and are emboldened by the fearless and persistent work Clean up Australia has done in this area over the past 28 years. We see this as an ongoing partnership that will enable us to collaborate on core initiatives, such as a campaign for a national container deposit scheme, supporting pre-cycling initiatives and getting our hands dirty during Clean up Australia Day 2018,” said Fenton.
“Every year we see more and more beverage containers in stormwater drains, local parks, beaches and playgrounds. According to research undertaken by Roy Morgan, in 2015 5.3 million Australians, or 27.1 per cent of the population, drank bottled water in any given week, a 0.4 per cent increase over the previous year,” said Kiernan.
According to Clean up Australia’s research, beverage containers make up 24 per cent of the total rubbish reported by their volunteers. Kiernan said by recycling, Australians can help by reducing the number of bottles they buy.
“Clean up Australia is a strong advocate of precycling, which is the practice of seeking to reduce consumer waste by buying unpackaged, reusable, or recyclable products. Using a SodaStream for homemade sparkling water or replacing that plastic bag with a reusable option, are examples of easy ways every Aussie can reduce the amount of packaging rubbish we produce,” said Kiernan.
SodaStream was also recognised for advocating for a world free of disposable plastic bottles through its disruptive, viral “Shame or Glory” campaign, at the 2017 European Effie Awards.
