Plastic bags, plastic water bottles are now one of the most prevalent sources of pollution on our beaches and in our oceans.

Each year  all over the world we drink 30 billion throwaway bottles of water -that's 2.7 milion tonnes of plastic and worse it takes about a quarter of a standard water bottle of  oil to make the bottle in the first place - that's 2.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gases. Then once we've finished with the bottle it takes 1000 years to biodegrade it!

Eco-blogger and car share founder Victoria Carter is always interested in finding out about other eco-friendly ideas aimed at nurturing the planet. Here is a great one from  Waiheke Island.

Emily McDonald from Waiheke Fruit and Veg along with Village Project have had 3000 stainless steel water bottles made with the aim of ridding the Waiheke of plastic bottles as well as fundraising for a new classroom at a school in Uganda.

The campaign already has a high profile supporter in Lady Pippa Blake who coincidentally has signed a pledge in the UK to never buy or use a plastic water bottle again.

'One planet, one life, take on step and use one bottle ' is the motto of this campaign. Cityhop has a similar theme, if everyone reduced their driving habits by one journey, like the one step it's the first step in 'driving change.'

Cityhop, car share co-founder Victoria Carter says, "what is special about this project is it's dual aims of raising awareness around waste and consumption while doing something productive like educating children in a war torn country.

Like Cityhop trying to change people's driving habits and encourage people to drive their cars a little less Emily is encouraging us to think twice before we buy another water bottle. Reduce, reuse and recycle.

Emily's bottles are for sale for $20 from Waiheke Fuit and Veg in Oneroa with $12 going straight to Village Project.

Author: Victoria Carter

Web Site for more information: http://www.mywaiheke.co.nz/groups/profile/38