This Young Ghanaian Has Kept Used Plastic Bottles For 10 Years And The Reason Will Inspire You

Discarded plastic bottle dustbin/Photo credit -Mckingtorch Creatives

How in your own small way are you fighting the sanitation menace that has engulfed the country?

Well for Gabriel Baidoo, holding on to used plastic bottles and other household items is his way of ensuring a cleaner Ghana.

The 26-year-old has been keeping used mineral water bottles and other empty household containers in two rooms (one bedroom and a garage) for over 10 years.

“The main reason I have been keeping these bottles is that it’s very hard for me to throw things away. Secondly, I don’t want it to dirty our environment.”

Over the years, he has been supplying market women in his vicinity who have needs for empty bottles in selling oil, iced kenkey and other products.

Baidoo who enjoys globetrotting says he has spent a significant part of his time travelling around Africa.

“I love to travel- Ivory Coast, Nigeria and most African countries. I know places..I have been travelling a lot, I love to see places, different cultures,” he said.

He recounts how her mom keeps bottles for him while he was away.

Where bottles are kept
“We have a store room like a one bedroom in our family house where I keep a lot of the things. The place is so full so you have to walk sideways to get in,” Baidoo explained.

Other items kept there includes empty Milo tins, mosquito spray cans, malt drink bottles, newspapers since 2005, and a host of other empty containers.

“My grandmom used to sew so we have fabric pieces of more than 10 years, small gallons, oil, champagne and wine bottles.”

Bottles for a course
As market women transformed how products are packaged, they resorted to using brand new bottles rather than used mineral water bottles in storing products and now have no use for used bottles.

However, Gabriel got in touch with Mckingtorch creative, a startup targeting to rid the environment of 1 million discarded bottles from the environment by the end of 2018.

Realising how sustainable and viable the project is, he donated 150 boxes of bottles (3,700) pieces to aid the project.

Challenges
He admits that having to do this is far from easy as some family members are unhappy about his hoarding behavior occasionally, blurting out unwholesome comments.

Dilemma
Baidoo is in dilemma whether to rid off these hoarded items or keep them for those who would need them.

“I have started throwing some of the items away because I’m getting fed up. I want to clear for someone to occupy the room.

I will be clearing the room but not now because two people recently requested for some items and I don’t know who may need something next.”

After discarding these items, Baidoo harbours hope to store a lot of things when he gets his own place in future for historical purposes.

Used plastic bottles and other materials stored by Mr Baidoo for over 10 years now in the storeroom