Today celebrates Sir David Attenborough 93rd birthday and Plastic Free Day, can you commit to go plastic free for 24 hours?
Moving to a totally plastic free life can be a real challenge. It is easier to make small changes to move towards your goal. To help, Rod Thomas from
Viva Organic, has given us his top tips to help you go plastic free.
1. Go room by room.
“To start with go room by room in your house. You may not want to start with the kitchen - it might be a bit daunting. There is cost saving to be had as well.”
2. Buy loose items.
“If you are going to buy fruit from the supermarket, buy the ones with the minimal amounts of plastic. For instance, instead of buying four clementines wrapped in plastic, buy loose ones which are actually cheaper.”
3. Buy local.
“While you might be on board with going plastic free, the supermarkets are not. I think you’ll find far less plastic in your shopping if you buy local. Go to your butcher to buy your meat and it probably won’t be wrapped in plastic. It’s the same if you go to a local grocery shop.”
4. Using plastic is not all bad.
“There is nothing wrong with having plastic in your environment that you are reusing. Reusing is great. Many containers probably have a good few years before they start to wear out.”
5. Get a reusable coffee cup.
“If you’re buying takeaway coffee a reusable coffee cup is a great thing. Get yourself one straight away because the amount of times you use it will save so much plastic.”
6. Stop buying bottled water.
“There is nothing wrong with tap water in the UK. Our refill station in the shop is filtered water and it’s free. It comes up on an app on your phone if you’re ever in the area. The app is called Refill. The app basically pops up with all the shops in the area that are supporting it. You don’t need to be buying bottles - there is free water literally on tap.” Many of our Peter Alan branches can be found on Refill.
7. Carry cutlery.
“Carry a small piece of bamboo, or even metal cutlery around your bag when you’re out and about. Then you don’t have to use the plastic utensils that you get in some take away fast food outlets and coffee shops.”
8. Always take a carrier bag with you.
“If you’re out and about you are probably going to do a shop, and if you’re going to a shop you’re probably going to need a bag.”
9. Switch to bars of soap.
“I think this year there is going to be a big increase in people using soap bars instead of using bottles. It gets around the overseas travel thing as well because you can carry the soap in your hand luggage.”
