There are some simple changes you can make that will make a big difference to your single-use plastic consumption. Here are our top suggestions:
REFUSE
- Stop buying plastic bottled drinks
- Swap bathroom products for bars not bottles
- Opt for non-wrapped food e.g. loose fruit and veg
- Cook with fresh ingredients to avoid excess food packaging
- Avoid single-use condiment sachets
REDUCE
- Buy second-hand instead of new
- Be a conscious consumer. pebble magazine and Jen Gale’s ‘sustainable(ish)‘ are two great places to start if you’re not sure what this means!
- Use your local library(s) and see what you can borrow instead of buying. The Climate Hub has a Climate Library you can sign up to free of charge with lots of environmental books and a mini children’s section
- Get involved with local beach cleans to reduce plastic pollution and the impacts of microplastics in the environment
REUSE
- Make use of refills for household products (Seaford health store and Julie’s scoop and weigh both in Seaford and plastic free champions)
- Use a refillable cup for hot drinks
- Swap clingfilm for beeswax wraps or Tupperware
- Swap disposable wet wipes for reusable cloths (we reccommend Cheeky Wipes)
- Buy reusable period products or swap to plastic free alternatives (Cheeky Wipes also have plenty of options for these)
- Buy reusable nappies or swap to plastic free alternatives
- Use a reusable party kit instead of disposable cups and plates. Annecy School has a kit for hire for childrens’ parties. Contact details available on https://www.partykitnetwork.uk/
RECYCLE
- Check what you can and can’t recycle with your local council
- Opt for glass or metal packaging over plastic as they can be recycled endlessly whereas plastic degrades with each use
- Swap milk bottles to refillable glass
- Separate food waste from general refuse for composting
- Use local terracycle collection points for items not accepted by local council recycling schemes e.g. crisp packets, dental care, cleaning packaging etc
- Get creative with plastic waste and turn it into something new
Let us know what changes you have made to Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle single-use plastics.