Five Simple Ideas for Plastic Reduction

28 June 2018

Most of us are now regular users of long life bags for shopping, a habit which may have been triggered by the introduction of charging for single use plastic bags.

However, the environmental harm of single use plastic remains an enormous challenge and Ipswich Green Party is promoting these 5 very simple ideas which if Ipswich households adopted would make a massive impact on reducing single use plastic waste in our area.

1 purchase a reusable water bottle and coffee cup for when you are on the move. Some flasks cover both hot and cold drinks.

2. buy fruit and vegetables loose from a fruit and veg shop or market. This also has the advantage of not only avoiding plastic packaging but can be cheaper as you select exactly the amount you want and is more likely to have been produced locally. Other products such as meat and fish can also purchased in a similar way.

3. refuse plastic straws when ordering soft drinks at bars and restaurants.

4. invest the savings generated by points one and 2 and order your milk on line to be delivered in reusable bottles

5. avoid body washes which contain micro plastics

For those wanting to take plastic waste reduction a step further:

6. Purchase a pack lunch box and avoid buying pre-packed sandwiches. Start a trend at your work place and with colleagues set up a challenge such as Tuesday lunches are plastic package free, and brink your lunch in a box—even a sharing lunch theme

7. Investigate options for buying products as some are available in more than one form e.g. soap as a liquid or table; washing detergent liquid or powder. Non liquids are frequently packaged in cardboard as opposed to plastic.

8. Consider shopping at a pop-up cooperative where you take your own recycled bags and bottles. You can measure out exactly the amount you want, it is very cost effective and many products are organic. There are a number of co operatives already in existence in this area such as Ipswich Ripple Wholefoods or you could create your own neighbourhood cooperative.

9. If you have a baby consider using reusable nappies.

10. Take the conversation to your work and social places and explore simple ways of reducing plastic

Ipswich Green Party is committed to reducing plastic waste.

We are compiling a list of suggestions each household could adopt to reduce single plastic use, as shown on our website.

This list is active and definitely not exhaustive and we welcome additional ideas and thoughts on the subject.

It is our aim to make Ipswich a flagship town on how to reduce plastic waste.

 

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