Some hints to reduce your plastic use
- Carry a reusable bottle
In the UK we use over 35 million plastic bottles every day! [a single plastic bottle will take around 500 years to fully decompose.] Carrying a reusable bottle is a great way to cut your plastic use and save money too! There’s even an app that tells you where you can refill your bottle for free. (www.refill.org.uk)
The UK’s River Mersey contains proportionally more plastic pollution than the infamous Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an area recognised by scientists as one of the most plastic-polluted expanses of water on earth. 18TH JUNE 2019 PLASTIC POLLUTION REPORT-GREENPEACE
- Say no to plastic straws
Plastic straws are bad news for our oceans. Next time you order a drink, think about whether you need a straw – and if you don’t, just say no!
According to the UK Government website, you must no longer supply single-use plastic straws, cotton buds, and drink stirrers in England, except for exempt uses. This is so that disabled people or those with accessibility needs can still use them. Please see uk government guidance straws for detailed exemptions. After 3 July 2021, you must not supply drinks products with single-use plastic straws attached to the packaging !?!
- Take a reusable coffee cup
2.5 billion coffee cups are thrown away every year in the UK – and less than 1 in 400 are recycled. Carry a reusable cup with you – most of Chorleywood cafes even offer a small discount if you use your own cup.
- Buy loose veg
When you are choosing between buying loose or packed veg, always go for loose. Not only are you forgoing unnecessary plastic, you’re also buying just what you need. Less plastic, less waste. Simple.
- Use refill stations for detergents
There are some products where it’s difficult to avoid a plastic container (for example washing up liquid or laundry liquid) – the good news is that there are an increasing number of places where you can refill your old bottles. (www.refill.org.uk)
- Say no to disposable plastic cutlery
Many times, when we’ve bought a salad or a yogurt, the only cutlery on offer is plastic! Mind you, the taste of wood is not much better! Whilst it’s hard to plan for every opportunity, consider carrying a spoon or fork (or spork!) in your bag or keeping cutlery in your desk at work.
- Carry a shopping bag
Since the plastic bag charge was introduced in England, there’s been a massive 85% drop in their use. Many of us are used to carrying an extra bag with us – if you still find it hard to remember, try a foldaway one that you can carry in your jacket or handbag. (The Science part – Plastic bags most often are made of a polymer known as a polyethylene, and may take 20 to 500 years to decompose fully. Biodegradable plastics take three to six months to decompose fully.) exactlyhowlong.com
Making just a few small changes can have a big impact on the amount of plastic we use and potentially gets into our oceans.
Want to know what your Carbon Footprint is?
If you want to know what your personal carbon footprint is and how you can improve, try this calculator for free. www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx
