The official version of this document can be found via the PDF button.
The below content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost, therefore it should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments.
Good afternoon
I started making changes to my own use during autumn last year, following the devastating images shown on Blue Planet 2, and it's fantastic to see the positive impact it has had on others and indeed on governments around the world.
I have several suggestions, some of which I have previously asked food outlets to adopt:
- I carry a reusable drinks mug for any take out coffee etc I might fancy. I calculated that in the first 4 months I had avoided 100 disposable cups going into landfill. That's just 1 person!
All takeout cafes etc should simply stop using disposable cups. It might be a little inconvenient at first for both customers and the shop, but people will soon get used to it and force them to think differently.
- I always carry those reusable swished up carry bags in my handbag. Perfect for the odd quick shop in town oron holiday. I also use the large and sturdy reusable bags that I have collected during my trips to French hyper markets. They cost about £5 but I've had done for 4-5 years and they are perfect.
All shops should stop providing plastic bags. Again it will force people to think differently.
Shops should also do what they did 30-40 years ago when we didn't use plastic bags. They should keep a store of boxes available for shoppers to pack their products in. I always remember helping my mum pack the shopping at the Les Riches store on Beresford/Burrard Street.
In fact many shops are too quick to crush the boxes they receive with products. Is there any way these could be collected and stored for reuse by people? A bit like Olio do to save wasting food.
- Shops should offer a refill option for things like detergent, shampoo, bubble bath etc
- Take away outlets should offer the option of taking your own Tupperware etc to them to be filled, perhaps with a small discount offered.
- Not sure how rubbish used to be collected but there must be a way to reduce the number of bin liners used.
Soliciting out food waste from paper, glass etc so that only waste that cannot be recycled or composted is put in bin liners.
Perhaps households could be offered a free composter for the kitchen/garden.
- Single use plastic cutlery and crockery should be banned across the board.
Airlines use the excuse that metal cutlery can be used as a weapon, yet in business class stainless steel cutlery is used, as well as china crockery and glasses! Anyone is capable of using something/ anything as a weapon, not just those that can't afford business class fares.
I hope that these thoughts and suggested of help. Kind regards
Tina Langdon