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ANSBACH, Germany – U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach (USAG Ansbach) launched its first ever Plastic-Free Week Sept. 23 – 30, 2018. During the week the garrison introduced environmentally friendly plastic-free options available to the public to reduce single-use plastic and plastic waste. Ansbach Plastic-Free Week began with a public ceremony Sunday, 23 Sept. at the military Exchange and Commissary complex located on Urlas Kaserne.
In his opening remarks launching the week-long campaign U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach Commander Col. Steven Pierce said, “Approximately 300 million tons of plastic will be produced this year and scientists estimate that by 2050 there will be as much plastic in the oceans as there are fish.” said Pierce. “Plastic has many beneficial uses but we must use and dispose of it responsibly; specifically single-use plastics such as straws, water bottles, plastic shopping bags and packaging, As good stewards of the environment we have to work to reduce these types of plastic.”
During the week the Ansbach Garrison distributed sturdy cloth bags – embellished with the Ansbach Plastic Buster logo – at many community facilities, free of charge to any who asked. These reusable bags can be folded up to the size of a wallet and can be kept in the car or at work to be used again and again wherever and whenever an Ansbach military community member encounter plastic, on or off post.
Many local organizations and facilities made a concentrated effort to initiate programs and offer alternatives to plastic products often taken for granted. DECA, DoDEA, Ansbach FMWR and AAFES as well as many others joined the Ansbach DPW in touting the problems with plastic waste and single-use plastics:
— The Commissary, Post Exchange, and Shoppette provided thousands of reusable “Plastic Buster” cotton shopping bags to the public, free of charge during the week. These sturdy bags can be folded up to the size of a wallet and kept in the car or at work to be used again and again wherever and whenever a community member shops and encounters plastic. These same facilities also made a special effort to showcase a variety of smart, multi-use sport cups as alternatives to throw-away plastic bottles.
— Ansbach schools stopped using plastic utensils and are purchasing metal utensils for daily re-use.
— The German Kantine as well as DFAC dining facilities on post provided ‘to go’ boxes made of bio-degradable sugar cane, eliminating styrofoam takeaway boxes.
— During Plastic-Free Week the Ansbach Spouses and Civilians Club Thrift Shop gave a 5 percent discount on all merchandise for any shopper who brought their own reusable bags.
— The Ansbach Directorate of Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation (FMWR) advertised and held a drawing giving away a trip to the Edelweiss Resort. Entry required a simple good faith pledge use less plastic.
— The Pharmacy of the Ansbach Medical Clinic used paper bags when dispensing prescriptions whenever possible – and will continue to do so in the future.
— Single and Rotational Soldiers also took part, capitalizing on special “Take One / Leave One” boxes placed in their barracks where the cotton giveaway “Plastic Buster” bags were picked up and left for buying groceries – or transporting takeaway meals.
TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM PLASTIC-FREE WEEK IN ANSBACH VISIT: https://www.flickr.com/photos/usagansbachphotos/albums/72157701538117764
