We can all do our bit to reuse, recycle and save the planet

I refer to your article How environmentally friendly are you, really? (January 14): the best earth-friendly practices require the cooperation of everyone. So how do we get the next generation to reduce, reuse, recycle and embrace the other basics of environmental responsibility? The best way to teach them is to lead by example, with a number of important practices. Recycling begins at home and is easy and, in some communities, mandatory. Plastic that ends up as ocean debris contributes to habitat destruction and entangles and kills tens of thousands of marine animals each year. That’s why we devote 10 per cent of our annual profits to Plastic Oceans UK Foundation.

To limit impact always choose reusable items and of course, recycle whenever possible. On that point, beaches are fragile environments and we must be attentive to how we treat them. The sand and surf are far more than a place to build sandcastles and take a dive. With this in mind, many communities sponsor green activities such as pitching in to help clean up a local beach.

Meanwhile, the fashion industry is second only to oil in the environmental destruction it creates – mainly because consumers buy clothes at such cheap prices. Alternatives do exist. The solution lies in buying less and choosing better quality items that are made as ethically as possible.

Alana Sorokin, founder of Joseph and Alexander, London