22nd April is Earth Day, when people around the world come together to show their support for environmental causes. Earth Day started back in 1970 and is now a global event that helps raise awareness of issues that affect our planet as well as providing resources and education to enable change. It’s a really brilliant cause and one we can all take part in.
For 2021, we’re focusing on plastic and how we can reduce the amount of single-use plastic we see in everyday life. Earth Day’s official campaign is The End of Plastic Pollution – it draws attention to just how harmful plastic is in our environment, from littering beaches and landscapes and clogging waste streams and landfills to harming marine and human health. The campaign focuses on everyday changes we can all make to reduce our plastic usage, and how these small changes can make a big difference to the planet.
Here are some top tips to help you cut down on plastic waste and reduce, reuse and recycle.
Calculate your current plastic use
How much plastic do you really use each day? Any idea? No, us neither. Earth Day’s plastic calculator is really handy for working out the areas that generate the most plastic, so you can make clever swaps and reductions. 
Swap to reusable packaging wherever possible
Once you’ve worked out where all your single-use packaging is coming from, you can look into reusable versions. For example, if you have young children and use a lot of disposable nappies, do some research around biodegradable versions or cloth nappies, which cut out the plastics altogether. Reusable cloth wipes are also another area where huge plastic savings can be made – did you know it can take up to 100 years for a single baby wipe to biodegrade?!
For things like shampoo, hand soap, laundry detergent and cleaning products, go to a refilling store and have your plastic bottles refilled rather than buy new ones. Lots of brands now offer their own refilling service, so you can get your L’Occtaine body wash and Carex hand wash topped up when needed.
Ditch unnecessary plastics
Sometimes plastic packaging can’t be avoided, but often it’s totally unnecessary and pretty easy to ditch. By being more mindful of the plastic you’re purchasing and looking for alternatives, you can remove those additional plastics from your shopping list.
Got a kid’s birthday coming up? We all know they love a bit of colourful plastic tat, but if you buy new – that’s a whole lotta plastic. It may not be single-use (you hope!) but it still contributes. Look for wooden versions instead, or find their favourites in charity shops, on Facebook Marketplace or on eBay and buy secondhand instead.
Food packaging is one of the worst for extra plastic, especially in the supermarket. If you can, head to the local grocer, butcher, baker and fishmonger to do your weekly shop. It takes a little longer and might cost a bit more, but you’ll find fruit and veg without the plastic wrapping, bread wrapped in paper and meat popped into your own containers from home. And don’t forget your tote bag!
Finally, if you buy your milk (including dairy free versions) from the supermarket, consider switching to a local milk delivery service. Your milk will come in handy glass bottles that are collected when you’re done, meaning no more plastic containers.
Watch out for hidden plastics
So you’ve swapped to reusable packaging, stopped buying new plastics… you’re pretty much plastic free, right? Well, probably not. Plastics hide in a whole host of products, usually in the form of micro-plastics that can pollute the ocean. Not at all cool.
The most common offenders are dishwasher tablets and laundry pods, glitter, teabags and takeaway coffee cups. Check your favourite brands to make sure they’re plastic free before you buy, or switch to a different type – laundry powder is better than the pods, you can use paper confetti instead of glitter and it’s time to invest in a cool new cup for your coffee.
Find out more about Earth Day 2021 here. Learn more about our commitment.
