GREEN 2 Go Saipan, a new nonprofit organization led by middle schoolers, and Ice 2 C U, a café in Garapan, are working together to help reduce plastic waste in the CNMI.
On Thursday, they launched a drink promo that will last through Valentine’s Day.
Patrons can bring their own flasks or water bottles to Ice 2 C U and, in return, receive their second beverage for $2.
Ice 2 C U staff will wear gloves and masks at all times while handling flasks or water bottles.
In an interview, 13-year-old Dandan Middle School student and Green 2 Go Saipan chief executive officer Soarin Oh said, “Global warming and greenhouse emissions in our world have been increasing and completely destroying our earth…. We’ll have less time to live for our children and grandchildren… if we keep this [up].”
She added, “Although we have a small population, we still create a lot of pollution that impacts global warming and greenhouse emissions in our world… We can do a lot better. When it comes to people hosting barbecues or even small gatherings on their front yards, there is always so much waste that is thrown around in their neighborhoods. [It is important] to just be conscious and know that you can make a difference in the world beginning with our islands.”
Oh said she draws a lot of inspiration from companies such as Tesla and environmental activists such as Greta Thunberg.
“They inspire me to [be] more passionate about the environment. This is why I am doing this,” she said.
In the non-profit organization’s first year, Oh said she hopes to persuade more cafés and restaurants to reduce plastic waste and promote eco-friendly packaging alternatives and encourage community members to go so far as to bring their own food or beverage containers.
Oh also hopes to gather more young people to join the cause and raise awareness locally and nationally, noting that she has already spoken with a number of students from different schools regarding her group’s environmental campaign.
In this age of social media, she said their outreach efforts will focus on utilizing these platforms.
Oh said she hopes that local environmental agencies, such as Micronesia Islands Nature Alliance, will partner with Green 2 Go Saipan.
Green 2 Go Saipan’s five-year and 10-year plans focus on reducing plastic waste in the CNMI, especially in densely populated areas.
“It [is] more about taking a risk and trying to see what I can do at this age. At [my] age, nobody really takes [these environmental concerns] seriously… My friends and I are more focused on changing what we can, and we want to start with this [campaign],” Oh said.
Prior to the campaign’s launch, she presented a pitch to Ice 2 C U owner Pei “Perry” Li.
“He was all in. I showed him my presentation and explained to him the ways that he can expand his customers here and ways that we can help the environment. He was just absolutely positive about it,” she said.
Li, for his part, said he was delighted to be the first vendor to partner with Green 2 Go Saipan.
“I feel excited. This [campaign] is good because for us, we use plastic bags, plastic cups, and plastic straws [which is] not too green. We also want to try our best to give some support to the program and be more environmentally friendly,” he said.
After the promo ends on Valentine’s Day, Ice 2 C U and Green 2 Go Saipan hope to go plastic-free for an entire business day, once a week, while offering a buy one, get one half off promotion for patrons.
“[Businesses] will get more customers, use less plastic, and help make the world a better place,” said Oh.
Green 2 Go Saipan welcomes new members.
For more information about Green 2 Go Saipan or Ice 2 C U, visit their respective Facebook and/or Instagram pages.
Ice 2 C U owner Pei “Perry” Li, left, and Green 2 Go Saipan founder and chief executive officer Soarin Oh, right, pose for a photo during the launch of an environmental campaign on Thursday.
