Ways YOU can help to reduce plastic pollution

Reuse

• Use a reusable water bottle to avoid purchasing water when out – there is an app called Refill that tells you where you can refill your bottle for free
• Bring your own reusable shopping bags to save on purchasing plastic ones
• Invest in a reusable coffee cup, many cafes, such as Pret, Starbucks, Costa & Greggs offer discount to customers with their own cups, saving you money as well as the environment!

Say no & Make the Switch

• Say no to plastic cutlery and try to carry your own spork or keep some cutlery at work
• Say no to plastic straws, use paper or reusable straws such as bamboo or Stainless steel
• Switch out using cling film for wax food wraps or reusable Tupperware/glass containers to store your leftovers
• Switch to milk deliveries in reused glass bottles, which not only helps the environment but supports your local economy –find your nearest milk round here
• Switch to cooking more rather than buying lunch/breakfast out can save you money and saves a lot of plastic waste
• Switch to bulk buying with items you tend to buy often, Yogurt, toilet roll, condiments, washing liquid etc. Consider the product to packaging ratio, this can also save you money.
• Switch out items for those with less plastic packaging, such as soap bars instead of bottles, washing liquid for washing powder (in a cardboard box), refillable coffee, loose leaf tea, plastic free toiletries – see suggestions here: Ethique, Nuud, Lush, and ethicalsuperstore.com
• Switch to buying second hand – new items tend to come wrapped in plastic packaging. Next time you want to buy a new gadget, children’s toy or even clothes search for them on second hand selling sites, you can pick up items that are practically new and save yourself money too!

Recycle & Support

• Recycle what you don’t need, correctly!
• Support plastic bans
• Spread the word
• Support organisations such as Friends of the Earth, Environmental Defence Fund, Recyclenow and many more that actively campaign for a better environment free from plastic pollution.
• Participate in clean-up projects in public spaces