Simple ways you can start reducing your plastic waste

In recent years, individuals have been looking to reduce their plastic waste to become more environmentally friendly. With many of us under quarantine due to the coronavirus crisis, why not focus on the way we can reduce our own waste to make a difference when life returns to normal? Plastic Free Hackney’s Daisy Hutchison told me: “It’s really easy to start and then it’s a question of commitment.”

One of the tips Hutchison recommended is to always carry refillable bottles for water, which not only reduces the plastic used but, “it can also save you lots of money, so the mark-up of buying a bottle of water as opposed to filling up your water bottle from the tap is 500 times.”

She says constantly buying bottles of water is a “horrible way of using resources,” reusing is cleaner and cheaper.

Hutchison also advises bringing cups for tea or coffee, and not using single-use plastics: “Whatever you’re doing, just make sure it’s reusable. Anything we’re designing as disposable we really need to be phasing out.”

In 2018, the average British household bought 54 ‘bags for life’. The campaigner added people should make sure to plan ahead and take bags for life and rucksacks with them so they do not have to constantly purchase new ones. “It’s essentially a bag for the week, not a bag for life. That’s being counterproductive.”

Due to the size of the bags, plastic packaging on the market increased by 17,000 tonnes compared to the 2017 figures.

Hutchison also warned that people going out and picking up takeaways from outside contributed to large amounts of waste and planning ahead can again help: “If you know you’re going to be eating out, there are lots of cafes that will fill up your own Tupperware.”

Plastic can take centuries to decompose and can release harmful chemicals into the environment and oceans, where it can be ingested by sea creatures.

This is an adapted version of an article written for the print edition of Yoots. A journalism project for City, University of London’s Advanced Practical Journalism: Online/print module.