A short video went viral on Instagram featuring young star Ahmed Magdy suffocating by a plastic bag that he throws up seconds before he runs out of breath. The video shows Magdy surrounded with plastic wrap preventing him from moving while wearing empty chips bags.
The short video was shocking and came as part of a campaign that calls for reducing plastic waste.
“Kefaya Plastic” (Enough Plastic) is an online campaign that aims to raise awareness on the severe damage plastic waste can cause to humans and surrounding environment.
The initiative was launched at the beginning of June by a number of volunteers who agree on how serious actions should be taken against the tremendous increase of environmental pollution. The project saw the light simultaneously with the World Environment Day.
“We are destroying ourselves, as much as we are ruining the environment surrounding us. It’s about time we recognise that and take an action to stop throwing every single plastic bag and plastic empty bottles to save nature,” Zi, the founder of the campaign, director, and stylist, told Daily News Egypt.
The idea came to the young fashion designer as she was travelling abroad and came to learn that a number of European countries and India stopped using plastic bags and that customers who wish to use them have to pay for it.
“The scene was highlighted in my mind, leading me into the belief that we should do something to raise people’s awareness with the severe environmental destruction we have in Egypt,” she explained.
Through a number of Instagram photos and videos, the campaign presents artists wearing costumes made of plastic waste.
For years, Zi kept on imagining the style of an outfit made of plastic waste before she decided to make it an official campaign by designing an outfit for each celebrity.
The first celebrity she started with was Ahmed Magdy.
“Magdy is one of the most supporting stars for all environment friendly causes. He has a true passion towards everything related to raising people’s awareness and in making the society a better place for us to live in,” she shared.
The campaign targets reflecting the impact of plastic waste on human beings through three stages. The first stage is that it surrounds it, the second is that the human sinks in it, and the third is that plastic consumption turns into a lifestyle.
The first video and photoshoto taken by the staff refers to the first stage the campaign seeks to speak of. That stage show how plastic has become an inseparable part of society’s lifestyle.
For four months, Zi and her friends collected plastic waste. In her collection, the team focused on the things people “use without thinking, including empty snacks, plastic covers, and empty plastic bottles.”
“By the end of the four months, my room had black bags filled with plastic waste,” Zi said.
Although all the campaign members volunteered to work, “we were hoping to find support from a number of organisations for the cause. Unfortunately, we tried to make that come true, but we failed,” she said.
Since the first day of launching the campaign, it was met with a warm wave of acceptance and love as people expressed their support.
“We sensed that it touched many people’s hearts and effectively made a difference, despite only publishing the first celebrity we cooperated with.”
Kefaya Plastic is currently seeking financial support and its members are looking for partners. More people working together would be more effective in communicating such a critical message.
