The European Commission has announced that it is to take steps to tackle plastic pollution by introducing new laws to reduce throwaway single-use plastics. The proposal sets out a number of measures designed to prevent and reduce the negative impact that disposable plastic items have on the environment, particularly on marine habitats, where there harmful … More EU takes action on plastic
Composting is the best way to get rid of your garden and kitchen waste. Not only is it environmentally friendly, it also provides you with a nutrient rich compost to use on your garden. As May 6th-12th 2018 is International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW), it’s the perfect time to look into starting a compost heap. We’ve … More The wonders of home composting
A deposit return scheme for single-use bottles is to be introduced in England subject to consultation, UK Environment Secretary Michael Gove has confirmed. The scheme would see shoppers in England paying a deposit when buying products, such as water or fizzy pop, in single-use plastic, glass and metal containers. The scheme aims to increase recycling rates … More Green light for bottle deposit scheme
Who doesn’t love a chocolate egg at Easter? Even if you avoid the sweet brown confection for the rest of year, indulging yourself once a year is a treat not to be missed. Unfortunately, it’s a treat that loses some of its appeal when you open the box and find it filled with plastic packaging. … More Let’s have a plastic-free Easter (Petition)
They say that moving house is right up there with bereavement and divorce as one of the most stressful things you can go through, and considering the enormity of the list of things to organise and take into account, it’s understandable that being green when moving is perhaps not at the top of the priority … More How to have an eco-friendly house move
As part of Sheffield’s big clean up project, a community group recently came together for the first time to clean up their local area. The group, including pupils from Oasis Academy Watermead, responded to a call out in their local paper about the state of a footpath near to the school, and joined together to … More Sheffield community unites for litter pick
The amount of plastic pollution making its way into the oceans, and the ways in which we can reduce it, are some of the most hotly discussed topics of the moment. Whilst making the move to a zero waste lifestyle is one answer to the problem, through constraints such as the higher cost of alternately … More Join the campaign to return non-recyclable plastic to supermarkets
Single-use food wrappings are a major component of household plastic waste. Although many are recyclable, they are often not accepted by local recycling plants. This means that in a great number of households they’re simply thrown into the bin as soon as they’re removed. Unfortunately, this simply adds to the mass of plastic regularly making its way into landfill sites. … More Edible food wrap – a taste of things to come?
Plastic waste is an environmental issue that cannot be ignored. According to US scientists, 8.3 million tons of plastic waste has been produced to date, with 79% of it ending up in landfill or the environment. We can all do our part to avoid using plastic, but it can be difficult when the aisles of supermarkets are … More Say ‘No!’ to plastic filled supermarkets (Petition)
MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee have recommended that the Government introduce a 25p levy on disposable coffee cups. As with the plastic shopping bags charge, which has seen single use carrier bags sales drop by 83% since its introduction in 2015, it is hoped that a charge on coffee cups will reduce the amount … More UK government calls for charge on disposable coffee cups
A UK-wide ban on the manufacture of cosmetics and personal care products containing tiny pieces of plastic known as “microbeads” has come into force this week, in a move aimed at protecting ocean wildlife from their harmful effects. From 9 January manufacturers, including industry giants like Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble, will no … More Microbeads banned from UK manufacturing
Disposable coffee cups – they’re recyclable, right? You might think so, but the truth is that fewer than 1 in 400 takeaway cups are actually recycled. That’s only 1% of the estimated 2.5 billion take-away coffee cups that are thrown away in the UK each year. Even those cups that you place in your own recycling … More Time to end the waste from coffee cups (Petition)
The UK chancellor, Philip Hammond, has announced in today’s budget that the British government will look into ways to reduce plastic waste through the tax system and charges on single-use plastic items. The move, first reported last week, came as the Treasury cited statistics saying more than a million birds and 100,000 sea mammals and … More UK Government to tackle plastic waste
Plastic is one of the biggest environmental issues of our time. According to US scientists, 8.3 million tons of plastic waste has been produced to date, with 79% of it ending up in landfill or the environment. Lunch time is one of the most wasteful times of the day, with the majority of the food … More How to pack a waste-free lunch
The Plastic Free Coastlines campaign is targeting local councils, schools and businesses after new figures show more than 8.3bn tonnes of plastic has been produced since the 1950s, resulting in a “near permanent contamination of the natural environment”. In this short film by Surfers Against Sewage, narrated by the actress Imelda Staunton, the scale of … More Call to cut plastic pollution across the UK
‘Leith could be the loveliest part of Edinburgh’ reads the opening line on the Leithers Don’t Litter website. And it’s true, it really could be – and if Zsuzsa and Gerry Farrell have their way, it absolutely will be. Zsuzsa and Gerry, got so tired of the amount of litter blighting their hometown that they … More The couple on a mission to clean up their neighbourhood
When it comes to activities threatening life on our planet, the growing crisis of plastic pollution ranks alongside climate change as one of the biggest challenges of our time. In response to the problem, and to sustained pressure by environmental activists and campaigners, a growing number of UK food and drink outlets have announced proposals … More These UK companies are responding to the plastic crisis
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Looking into why we do the things we do (and some crochet) each Monday
Amanda Tuke - writer: nature, people, places
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