Around eight million pieces of plastic pollution enter our seas and oceans every day. And around 33% of this plastic is used once and then thrown away, most of which cannot biodegrade. Do you need help cutting your use of single use plastic? As part of Plastic Free July and our commitment to sustainability, we’re going to be sharing our tips on how you can go plastic free.
Plastic Free July is a global initiative challenging people to drastically reduce their plastic consumption, which is causing significant damage to our planet. As a business committed to improving our sustainability, we want to make sure we have a positive impact on our environment. Not only will you be able to save money with our tips, you’ll be reducing your plastic consumption and living more sustainably.
Carry a reusable water bottle
Plastic bottles take between 70 and 450 years to break down. If you’re buying drinks on the go, not only are you spending money unnecessarily, you’re also contributing to plastic pollution. They’ll end up in landfill or in our oceans releasing harmful chemicals and emitting micro-plastics that will end up back in our own bodies. Carrying your own bottle will help you save money, keep you healthy by drinking lots of water and help save the planet. We actively encourage all of our staff to bring their own reusable bottles where they can refill it across our three sites.
Always carry a tote bag
This is important for those constantly on the go and for those who don’t do their shopping online. Are you the type to nip to the shops after work to do your shopping? If so, carrying a tote bag means you won’t need a plastic bag for your shopping. It can fit inside your normal bag and be brought out when you go shopping.
Bring your own lunch
In our business, many of our staff travel between sites and often spend their money buying their lunch out between travelling. Increasing their monthly spend and having a negative impact on the environment. For those who have spent time working from home during the pandemic, they’ve realised just how much they can save by making their own lunch. Try and set out a bit of time of an evening to prepare lunch to take in or use leftovers from last night’s dinner. Numerous outlets are still offering single-use plastic cutlery with their takeaway meals. If you still fancy lunch on the go, why not pick up eco-friendly cutlery so you’re always prepared?
Look for reusable food wraps
One of the best ways to save money, eat healthily and avoid buying single-use plastic is by bringing your own lunch to work as previously mentioned. Plenty of people have started to bring their own lunch to work but you find that lots of food is wrapped in cling film or tin foil, or brought in single-use containers. Households across the UK use more than 1.2 billion metres of cling film, which is enough to go around the circumference of the world 30 times over. You should look at using a natural alternative that could be reused over and over. The same thing can be used for makeup wipes – opt for pads you can throw in the wash instead.
Pick up a reusable cup for hot drinks
We all love a morning tea or coffee, but carrying a reusable cup will do wonders for reducing plastic pollution. One single reusable cup equals 500 single-use coffee cups. A lot of cafes will now take your cup and use it instead of their own, sometimes even giving you money off for using a reusable cup.
How else do we make sure we’re reducing our carbon footprint? Find out about how sustainable we are here.