The Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) and SodaStream launched over Sukkot a series of reusable bottles decorated with colorful animals in order to raise awareness to the immense damage that disposable plastic utensils cause to animals and to the environment.
The bottles were sold during the Sukkot holiday in nature reserves and national parks throughout the country, and the earnings from their sales were allocated to the INPA’s “Animalbulance,” initiative which treats injured wild animals.
Plastic is one of the deadliest causes of unnatural animal deaths. In the past year alone, over 7,000 animals needed medical treatment after ingesting disposable plastic.
The joint initiative wishes to phase out the use of disposable plastic in favor of reusable materials. The colorful animals on the bottles, including turtles, fallow deer and bats, are meant to make their way into the hearts of children and parents alike, with a simple message: A small bottle can create big change, including saving lives.
“We believe that every society needs to do all its best for the environment,” said Stella Kruyef, CEO of SodaStream Israel. “In recent years we have seen the ecological equilibrium, and one of the reasons for this is the growing use of disposable plastics,” she said.
“Our collaboration with SodaStream is an example of the connection between the need to safeguard wild animals and the environmental damage that the public has to cope with because of the use of disposable trash that we as a society have trouble dealing with,” said Raya Shoreki, manager of the INPA’s Community branch.