Reduce/Remove Plastics

PLASTIC WASTE AND PACKAGING FOR RECYCLABILITY
19 million pounds of plastic enter the ocean every year.
These facts can help you make informed decisions about your packaging:

• Plastic that is clear or light-colored is more likely to be recycled than dark plastic.  Darker plastics have low resale value for recycling facilities and often cannot be
  recognized by sorting machines.
• Mixed-material packaging made of layers of plastic, cardboard, and aluminum foil is difficult to separate. Many recycling facilities will not accept it.
• Small plastic items — such as straws, utensils or bottle caps — can slip through sorting machines and be lost to landfills.
• Large shrink-sleeve labels on containers can confuse sorting machines and contaminate other recycling streams.
• Plastic bags made of LDPE usually cannot be recycled. The bags can damage sorting machines and printed logos prevent the plastic from being recycled into clear film.  When in doubt, contact a recycling facility near your customers to learn how your product’s waste will be processed.

Help us reduce plastic in sea turtle habitats.  You may not live near a beach where turtles nest, or even near an ocean where turtles spend much of their lives.  Still you can help us reduce plastic in these environments by donating to help with the following:

Join Turtle Up for a 30 Day Plastic Free Challenge. To Join, clicking here.

Our Story

I grew up in Normandy, France spending time in trees and in rivers observing and enjoying the fauna and flora. My house was full of dogs and cats, and at one-point, there were many other large animals on the property. When I was two-years-old, my mom was looking for me, only to find me eating Jojo’s (the family’s German shepherd) food. Many other times, I could be found curled up with a cat in a bale of hay. It was not uncommon to find new born lambs in our kitchen, and I would always volunteer to give them their bottles. Basically, wherever there was an animal, I could be found. Since 12-years-old, I have been fascinated by sea turtles. Who would not be? They have been around for over 130 million years and play a key role in providing a healthy environment on land and in the ocean. They represent wisdom, patience, persistence, and resilience. They are elegant and graceful. Unfortunately, all seven species are threatened by extinction.

In 2017, I was fortunate to go to Rwanda to see the silver back gorillas, an unforgettable experience. In Rwanda, the people who used to kill the gorillas to make a living became the tour guides. These former poachers now run the cultural village and welcome thousands of tourists each year. I reflected on the model and knew that an idea such as Turtle Up would come to existence one day. My family lives in New Ningo Prampram, Ghana, home of the largest sea turtle hatchery in the country. Turtle Up is my passion project because it combines helping the sea turtles and their habitat, while also working with the locals and generating income for the community.

At Turtle Up, we aim to:

• Preserve and protect Ghana’s sea turtles.
• Offer unique hands-on immersive eco trips for students and professionals that embrace
  fair trade learning principle.

As a byproduct outcome Turtle Up will help the economic development of New Ningo Prampram and the neighboring communities. Turtle Up  is committed to donate all its excess income to sea turtle conservation efforts.

By Corinne Brion