PLASTIC: Individuals can play their part

Recycling and clean-ups are, of course, important in the battle to reduce plastic pollution, though the majority of plastic waste doesn’t get reused or recycled.

But cutting down on consumption is just as important.

This is a global problem, which needs to be tackled on a national and international scale.

However, we also encourage individuals to play their part.

There’s a whole range of simple steps that we can take to cut down on our plastic use.

Use reusable water bottles and coffee cups.

Buy loose veg and fruit – take along your own bags or join a veg box scheme.

Cut down on your use of plastic bottles – find suppliers that will refill your empty bottles, use products in glass jars or try shampoo and shower bars.

And stop using cling film.

Think about the clothes you wear. Many of our clothes contain plastics and every time we wash them they shed millions of plastic microfibres into the water systems, out to sea and into the food chain.

Consider natural materials instead, or wash only full loads at lower temperatures.

Christmas is around the corner so avoid buying new plastic toys. Instead, find wooden toys or buy second-hand ones from local charity shops or online.

Every small step you take can make a real difference to the amount of single use plastic that ends up in our oceans or litters our streets and beautiful countryside.

We’d like to hear how others have cut down on their plastic use.

You can let us know on the Alnwick Area Friends of the Earth Facebook page.

Lisa Bellamy,

Alnwick Area Friends of the Earth