Arts
One-stop-shop for biodegradable items: That’s her aim
Savera Weerasinghe is not passionate about sustainability or recycling, but rather the environment and nature. In this age of acute climate change she wants to do her part for the planet. Having majored in Environmental Studies and Social Entrepreneurship at New York University, after returning to Sri Lanka, Savera started an industrial paper sacks company and subsequently launched Ananta Sustainables earlier this year.
Locally made: The paper bags. Pic by Thulara Bethmage
Ananta Sustainables was created with the goal of targeting the large-scale market because Savera believes that it will have a bigger effect than targeting individual consumers. Ananta Sustainables is run by a very small team, comprising Savera, her co-founder Ohan Hominis, and Buddheesha Pahathkumbura.
Ananta Sustainables sells three kinds of biodegradable containers in three different sizes as well as paper bags, wooden cutlery, and paper straws. The paper bags are made locally while the other products are brought down from India and China. The larger 750 ml and 1000 ml containers are Rs. 30 while the smaller 450 ml container costs Rs. 25. The paper straws retail for Rs. 6. There is no minimum order as Savera does not want to deter anyone or any business from going green. Her goal for Ananta Sustainables is for it to become a one-stop shop for sustainable and biodegradable products, so that businesses wanting to go green have the means to do so.
The bestselling product of Ananta Sustainables is the paper straw. When we queried if the paper straws would get soggy and defective, she stated, “Are you going to have your drink in 2 hours or do you want to make your straw last for 500 years?”Savera believes that it is imperative to replace products that have such a short use period and last for 500 years since they are not biodegradable. To put that time scale into perspective, Ananta Sustainables products degrade within 90 days, whereas one plastic straw will take 500 years to deteriorate.
Savera Weerasinghe. Pic by Tavish Gunasena
Ananta Sustainables teamed up with Project Eklok to create a dolphin made of trash in Kalpitiya. The idea was to show how you can creatively use waste to portray a specific message as well as create awareness. The trash dolphin is extremely significant in the Kalpitiya context as many people come to Kalpiya to see dolphins and end up polluting the area.
Savera believes that consumers play an important role in conservation through the choices they make. If consumers push and vote with their money for greener products, more businesses will be likely to implement them.
For Ananta Sustainables’ products, visit Savera’s website https://anantasustainables.com/ or her instagrampage https://www.instagram.com/anantasustainables/.
Best seller: The paper straws. Pic by Manush Thalpawila