EnviroServ encouraged people to spread some responsible festive cheer and make an ‘upcycled’ gift under a giant Upcycled Festive Tree made from used plastic bottles, in Rosebank Johannesburg in December. For those who were not feeling creative, there was the opportunity to purchase an upcycled decoration for your festive season tree. The money raised was contributed towards a student bursary for a deserving Environmental Sciences Student.
EnviroServ believes that they are more than just an African waste management company. Rather, they believe they are an integral part of the South African society. The company sponsored the upcycled festive tree to raise awareness on the benefits of recycling, reusing and reducing waste, for a sustainable future for South Africa.
The message was clear – with a little bit of inspiration and creativity, we can create something beautiful. As consumers, we are often too quick to throw away, or to buy something new. EnviroServ urged consumers to create something meaningful this festive season.
EnviroServ has ethically managed waste for over 35 years. With the introduction of cutting edge technology, the company has capabilities to assist its customers with many ‘zero-waste-to-landfill’ solutions “There are huge benefits in terms of reduction in both energy and water use through responsible waste behaviour. With our current water and energy challenges, following the 3R’s – Reduce, Reduce, Recycle – is something that every South African can do to help grow our economy in a sustainable way. South Africa has limited landfill space, so responsible behaviour is crucial if we are to protect our fragile environment,” said EnviroServ PR Manager, Makgabo Van Niekerk.
For those who doubt the impact of recycling, by recycling just one plastic bottle enough energy is saved to power a CFL light bulb for 30 hours. That means the 2 000 bottles reused in EnviroServ’s ‘Upcycled Xmas Tree’ (all of which was sent for recycling after the festive season) could light a CFL bulb for 60 000 hours.
“This initiative was designed to give South Africa a green festive gift in two ways: both through raising awareness of the importance of increasing our environmental mindfulness as a nation, and to raise funds for a bursary for a deserving student who would not otherwise be able to afford tertiary education,” continued van Niekerk.