There has been a clear push from both the private and public sector towards a more sustainable South Africa in recent weeks.<\/p>\n
This includes initiatives to cut down on plastics from major retailers such as Pick n Pay<\/a><\/strong> and Woolworths<\/a><\/strong>, while government officially gazetted its Climate Change Bill<\/a><\/strong> on Friday (8 June), alongside an announcement<\/a> <\/strong>by the City of Johannesburg that it was looking to make recycling compulsory.<\/p>\n It also makes financial sense for these groups to start becoming more ‘green conscious’, with a recent\u00a0Euromonitor International report finding that\u00a0the global market for health and wellness offerings reached $686 billion in 2016 and it is expected to grow to $815 billion by 2021.<\/p>\n Among metropolitan South Africans there is a similar eco and health-conscious lifestyle trend, says\u00a0Priya Naicker, advice manager at Old Mutual Personal Finance.<\/p>\n However she notes that\u00a0many still perceive efforts to save the earth as an expensive endeavour.<\/p>\n According to Naicker, a\u00a0vegan meal at a restaurant\u00a0can cost approximately R95<\/strong>, while a bio-degradable straw at an eco-friendly restaurant costs at least R5<\/strong> compared to a free plastic straw. A reusable glass straw can cost upwards of R250<\/strong>.<\/p>\n