Hio Cafe said bye to plastic straws and hello to reusable straws at their launch this morning of their “Tahi Mea” initiative to reduce single use plastics on the island.
While Nat Geo reveals 5 million straws are used daily around the globe, 3million straws are disposed of daily and are too small they end up being discarded most ending up along beaches and foreshores.
Hio’s initiative is supported by Ridge to Reef via the Global Environment Facility received funding with the project having 3 primary objectives which is to educate, research into finding alternatives and conduct a Niue Primary School competition.
Hio shares the global vision to reduce single use plastics noting the exacerbating rate of increase of plastics in all oceans affecting marine resources and their habitats eventually affecting humans.
Hio plans to provide kit sets for other eateries which includes the metallic straws and cleaning kit as a gift for the eateries and to raise awareness of the issues and movement to reduce plastics.
Story by Esther Pavihi