Cola Cola: Save the environment, start using less plastic in Thailand!

Watching monkeys in their natural environment is a thrilling experience; but observing these adorable primates drinking from plastic bottles and going through mountains of trash left by humans is something of a completely disappointing experience.

These sad views are a direct consequences of the thriving tourism industry in Thailand. While we can all agree that tourism is a positive industry overall – with a major impact on local communities and the economy – when it is combined with irresponsible people that come to visit and a very poorly implemented manage disposal system, it can have a negative impact on the local eco-system and wildlife.

Phuket is, without doubt, a natural wonder, boasting some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. While it leaves a mark on tourists’ hearts, it also leaves a mark on the environment, as mountains of trash pile day after day, choking the environment and poluting our ocean; a real threat to wildlife, nonetheless.

Coca Cola is one of the biggest plastic producers in the world – and the company knows that pretty well. In 2002, Coca-Cola, as well as other companies, joined forced to create a non-profit organization endorsing the process of recycling in Mexico. As a result, four years later, over 57 per cent of all PET plastic that is produced ends up being recycled (up from 9 per cent in 2002). This surge has made Mexico a global leader in PET plastic recycling.

We ask the same to be done for Thailand. Coca-Cola must get involved and save Thailand’s wildlife. We have witnessed the success this types of campaigns have had in Mexico and we are confident the results can be reproduced in Thailand as well.

The President and CEO of Coca-Cola, James Quincey, is extremely passionate about a world without waste and is constantly looking for better ways to recycle. It is time to put in more efforts and focus on Phuket, Thailand as the next objective for an eco-friendlier world.