Pictures of Greta Thunberg are being used to shame office workers who use single-use plastic

Photos of teenage activist placed near plastic cups and plastic utensils

Greta Thunberg photos used to deter plastic usage (Getty)

Offices are using photos of climate change activist Greta Thunberg to deter employees from using single-use plastics.

The trend, dubbed “Greta-shaming,” has become especially popular in Israel, where photos of the 16-year-old have been used in workplaces in both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, according to Haaretz journalist Allison Kaplan Sommer.

The tactic sees employees hang up photos of Ms Thunberg in workplace cafeterias near plastic utensils or single-use coffee cups, in an effort to shame colleagues away from using the items.

One photo sees a picture of the teenager with her hands clasped under her chin placed near a stack of plastic cups, while another shows Ms Thunberg placed in front of coffee cups with the caption: “Are you sure?”

In the AP office in Jerusalem, a photo shared by Sommer shows the activist deterring the use of coffee stirrers. The photo quotes Ms Thunberg’s September United Nations speech, reading: “How dare you.”

Ms Thunberg, who first became famous for leading the school strike for climate movement in her native Sweden, has become an internationally recognisable face of climate protest following her appearance at the UN, where she called on world leaders to implement change.

“People are suffering. People are dying. And all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you,” the activist said.

On social media, the technique has been met with both amusement and support.

“I think this is great! Israel has a conscience and a sense of humour,” one person wrote.

Another tweeted: “Actually a great idea.”

Israel is the second-biggest per capita consumer of single-use plastic in the world, according to the Times of Israel.

The use of Ms Thunberg as a deterrent comes after Ikea Israel announced it plans to eliminate single-use plastics by the beginning of 2020.

Some schools in Tel Aviv have also announced plans to remove single-use plastics, following protests from students and parents.