CME food stall joins sustainability drive; adopts banana leaves for meal packaging

To promote sustainability and reduce single-use plastic waste, the food stall at the College of Maritime Education (CME) has introduced banana leaves as an alternative packaging for its meals, Aug. 27.

The stall is using banana leaf supported by a Manila paper in serving meals and snacks to the faculty, employees and students.

This initiative supports the EU CARE (Enverga University’s Commitment to Promote Awareness on the Use of Recyclable Materials Towards A Sustainable Environment) Program of the Canteen Management Committee chaired by Health, Safety, and Auxiliary Services Department (HSASD) Director Arby S. Lagman.

“Our Canteen concessionaires are already practicing various initiatives on reducing single-use plastics. The use of banana leaf as an alternative food packaging is one of a kind. If you are looking for new ideas to help lessen plastic waste, this practice can be a great start towards a more sustainable community” Lagman said. 

This practical and innovative food packaging was introduced by Mr. Jhun Inojosa, a public school teacher from the Quezon National High School. This concept was also recognized across the country by different media outlets like GMA News and ABS-CBN News.

This initiative aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly:

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – It helps to improve waste management and serves as an example for sustainable action by replacing plastic and encourage others to adopt the same practice.