Ditch single-use plastics F
riends of the Earth Cymru wants to get the public onside in its mission to ditch the unnecessary single use of plastics. British summertime may bring gorgeous long evenings and happy beach days, but it brings an increase to litter issues in Wales.
“Overflowing rubbish isn’t unique to our coastlines, it’s found along our river banks, parks, and even on top of our precious mountains,” said spokeswoman Ffion Matthews.
“This issue has reached new extremes, with studies showing that plastic is now entering our food chain.
“Most of the litter found is usually single-use plastics, which are used by consumers for minutes, and live for years and years to come.”
So the organisation has now produced a list of ideas to help avoid unnecessary single-use plastics during the summer holidays.
Take your own water bottle. Avoid buying bottled water by taking your own refillable water bottle. They are safe, handy, and will save you money. Most cafes will happily fill them for free.
Say no to plastic straws. There is no need for plastic straws. If children want one, why not buy a reusable straw that they can keep and take with them?
Use stainless-steel ‘glasses’ to avoid single use beer garden plastic cups. Many pubs demand the use of plastic cups for their beer gardens. Avoid this by taking your own stainless steel cup. They are handy, reusable, and keep your drink cooler for much longer than a plastic cup.
Ask for your chips wrapped in paper, not polystyrene trays Polystyrene is an environmental nightmare, it never breaks down fully and often ends up leaking into our water streams and eventually the ocean. It is one of the biggest pollutants in our seas.
Take an extra bag for rubbish Sometimes, the rubbish bin is full, or you’re on a long walk and haven’t seen a bin for miles. Take a small rubbish bag with you on your days out, and separate items for recycling later.
Friends of the Earth Cymru is hoping that the Government will soon introduce a bottle deposit scheme in Wales to encourage even higher recycling rates, and to end single use plastics and polystyrene to work towards a truly circular economy.
“In the meantime, adopting new ways of enjoying your summer holidays can massively help protect Wales’ spectacular environment,” added Ffion.
“Small changes make a big difference.”