https://www.ted.com/talks/dianna_cohen_tough_truths_about_plastic_pollution
My family lived in Thailand for 8 years and we spent a lot of time travelling around S.E Asia. On one trip, we drove from Bangkok to Krong Preah Sihanouk in Cambodia. An amazing road trip if you ever get the chance. Sihanouk is on the coast and we took a small boat to an island for a couple of days. It was very basic, wooden huts, no roads or shops and no electricity anywhere on the island! It should have been beautiful, a tropical island almost all to ourselves. However, on the boat to the island we saw lots and lots of plastic in the sea and when we were on the island the beach was full of rubbish most of which was plastic. Shocking. This is not the only example I have experienced, but one that I remembered when listening to Dianna Cohen talking.
My family throw a lot of plastic away, but we're luckily as we live in Bristol U.K our plastic is taken away and recycled. Where this is done and what it is all recycled into I have no idea. That's something I'm going to try to find out!
I took a photo of what is in my bin today, and to be fair it's not much. It's the Christmas holidays, my family have been away and our recycling has been removed only a few days ago.
So Dianna Cohen talked about :
As we all need to start somewhere, I thought about what I know I buy and throw away a lot. There are 4 people in my family a 10 year old, 14 year old, myself and my husband, that makes for a lot of washing on a daily basis! So I buy lots of these:
and these...
So, I have done a little research and I have found two shops in my area that offer a refill service for washing liquid, fabric conditioner and multi purpose cleaning liquid. Result!
http://www.betterfood.co.uk/shoplocal/st-werburghs/
and
http://www.scoopawayhealthfoods.co.uk/
So, hopefully I have thrown away my last plastic bottles of washing liquid, fabric conditioner and multi purpose cleaner!
If you are a fellow Bristolian, you may want to make use of these facilities too. If you don't have shops that offer a refill service you may like to contact Ecover or get a local shop to start the service!
http://uk.ecover.com/en/products/
Over the next year I hope to find other ways to reduce the plastic I throw away....join me if you like and send me any ideas and tips...
Good idea marce ! I remember plastic being a nightmare in Asia too - sad . Will endeavour to try and find a refill place but doubt there is one in the Stone!!!❤️
ReplyDeleteVery impressive! When I lived in Bristol I used to get my Ecover washing liquid and conditioner refilled at Scoopaway - also made it slightly cheaper! Win win!
ReplyDeleteSally Plenty
Great! We will start to use ecover products too they are less harmful to the water supply as well! The recycling at avonmouth can produce biofuels and energy! Bristol are running a competition if you put your food waste out. You could win a £50 pound voucher or £100 for January. Most of our recycling is transported across the country to other plants. The main point here is that we need to reduce! Perhaps we could have a competition?...
ReplyDeleteRodney
Great idea! I'm going to photo my plastic waste each week, ideally reducing like you suggested. However, it may take a while I have loads of bottles around the house and in cupboards...any other competition ideas?
ReplyDeleteI'm with you! xx Hannah xx
ReplyDelete