We’re excited to have just launched our brand new website, www.lessplastic.co.uk – offering eco and health-conscious customers a range of stylish, healthy, planet-friendly alternatives to single-use plastic for food and drink on-the-go, to tackle the massive issue of plastic pollution in our oceans.
For most of us, a coffee to-go features fairly regularly in our weekly routine, however when we pause to consider the impact our caffeine habit is having on our environment, the mind-boggling statistics are enough to make you think twice.
According to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s War on Waste, an estimated 2.5 billion coffee cups are thrown away in the UK alone each year, of which less than 1% are recycled. That means the vast majority of single-use cups and lids end up in landfill, or become plastic pollution in our waterways and oceans – where they harm marine birds and animals and eventually break down into tiny toxic particles that are eaten by fish and enter our food chain. (In case you are wondering, even the cardboard cups are lined with plastic.)
There many more single-use plastic items we’re routinely offered in the name of convenience – including plastic bottles, plastic take-away packaging, plastic cutlery and plastic straws, all of which are actually not strictly necessary, and are among the most common items washed up on our otherwise beautiful shores.
Our founder, Amanda Keetley, lives near the coast in South Devon and was sick of seeing plastic litter on her local beaches: “Most of us are so busy that we don’t stop to think about the impact our daily choices are having on the world around us, and because single-use plastic is so ‘normal’ we don’t question it. But when you see plastic litter in a natural setting the truth hits home – plastic should never be treated as disposable because it’s indestructible. It’s a scary fact that every piece of plastic ever created still exists somewhere on the earth today, killing marine life, or polluting our water. But we each have the power to choose whether our personal actions add to the problem, or reduce demand for disposable plastic, by choosing reusable alternatives instead.”
Apart from the environmental benefits of reducing your reliance on single-use plastic, there are health benefits too. Recent research has revealed that plastic containers, wrap and packaging (even those marketed as ‘BPA-free’) contain a range of toxic chemicals that leach into our food and drink, and have been linked to several health issues, including hormone disruption, hyperactivity in children and cancer.
Our new website offers healthier and more eco-friendly alternatives to plastic for taking food and drink to work or school, or on your travels and outdoor adventures. Popular products include stainless steel lunch boxes, reusable sandwich bags, glass and stainless steel water bottles, insulated drinks bottles, reusable travel cutlery and straws… and much more!
You can find out more about the issues of plastic pollution and what alternatives are available in our 9 top tips for living with less plastic. You can also get all our latest updates by following us on Facebook and Twitter @LessPlasticUK.
If you’d like to share your favourite tips for avoiding single-use plastic and reducing plastic pollution, please get in touch, we’d love to hear from you!
#RefuseSingleUse #ChooseReusables #LessPlastic
Ocean image courtesy of Scot Baston, Zooming Feet Photography