A wake up call for the Caribbean
( and the world ) by Riselle Celestina
I
recently visited Aruba and was amazed by the big steps the island has made towards protecting its unique and interesting ecosystem and marine life . Aruba seems to be on the fast track to becoming one of the greenest and most eco-fabulous destinations in the Caribbean even though , according to many locals there , the island has yet a long way to go .
But for me , coming from the former sister island to Aruba and fellow ex-colony of the Netherlands , St . Maarten , where single use plastic still reigns as king , I stand in awe of the advancements that Aruba has made .
Aruba ’ s progressive bans
This One Happy Island , as it is referred to in its marketing campaigns , has recently banned all use , sale and production of singleuse plastic items on the island , from single-use plastic bags , cups , utensils , straws to styrofoam containers . One can now order a meal for take out and walk away completely guilt free with your food in containers made of much less hazardous material to the environment like cardboard . Plastic straws at bars and restaurants have been replaced with straws made out of paper , wheat , bamboo and even pasta .
Along with the ban on single use plastic came the ban on sunscreen containing Oxybenzone , which is the lead toxin responsible for the irreparable damages caused to coral everywhere , the diminishing marine
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