Waste Free Wednesday - Combating 'On The Go' Plastic

Reduce 'On the Go' plastic

You may not realise but the waste you put in the bin on the street still ends up in the same landfill as if you were to put it in your own bin at home.

Here are some tips for when you are ‘on the go’ to help you combat plastic waste!

• Take a reusable mug/cup with you. You never know when you may fancy a coffee or hot chocolate!  Disposable coffee cups are difficult to recycle due to the manufacturing process so should be avoided completely.  If you have forgot your mug and can spare the time, have a drink inside the café in a china mug and avoid waste.  If not, think about whether you can wait until you get home.
• This also goes for water bottles. If you carry one around, you can also save money since you don’t have to buy a drink. There are lots of schemes available to help you find somewhere to top up your water bottle. If you have forgotten your reusable bottle, just make sure you hold on to your plastic bottle until it can be put in a recycling bin. This also goes for drinks cans too.
• Pack a lunch or snacks if you know you will be out for a while. This avoids having to buy overly packaged food on the go. If  you need to buy something whilst out and about, try and choose items that are packaged in recyclable materials and hold on to your recycling until you get home.
• Ask for no straws in clubs, pubs and bars. Some places have already started to not give them out as standard. Think about how many straws you get through in a night. Each straw only gets used for a few minutes and then goes in the bin. Do you really need it? If you cannot live without a straw, think about buying a stainless steel one and carry it with you.