Cumberland Council is encouraging residents across the county, to aim to reduce the use of plastic, during Plastic Free July.
The council is informing people that July is Plastic Free July, which is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution, to help with cleaner streets, oceans, and especially for Cumbria’s outstanding beauty areas.
Plastic Free July helps to encourage people to reduce single-use plastic waste every day at home, work, school, and even at local cafés. Making a small change will collectively make a massive difference to communities.
To get involved with the challenge, please head over to the Plastic Free July website.
The council is providing handy tips to assist people to reduce their plastic usage:
- Go plastic free - swap bottles for bars. There are lots of good value bars of soap, shampoo and moisturiser available out there now. Why not give it a try?
- Reduce everyday plastics in your packed lunch such as sandwich bags, tin foil, cling film and juice cartons, by replacing them with a reusable lunch box and bottle.
- Say goodbye to single-use plastic and make small changes by switching to a reusable water bottle. There are more than 20000 Refill Stations across the UK where you are welcome to go inside and ask for a fill-up of your bottle. These include cafes, bars, museums, libraries and lots of other businesses - just look for the Refill Sticker in the window. You can also download the handy Refill App to your phone so you can find a refill station wherever you go, or visit the Refill website.
- If you are out and about having a picnic then please take reusable plates, cups and cutlery. Disposables are simply not the way forward anymore if we want to protect our planet.
- Cut down on excess packaging when you go shopping by trying to buy loose fruit and veg where possible. Some stores now have paper bags instead of single-use plastic ones or even reusable cloth fruit and veg bags. Farm shops are even better, and you'd be supporting a local business.
- This Plastic Free July why not reduce the number of plastic bottles you get by signing up to have your milk delivered in glass bottles? Make a small step to reducing your plastic consumption and support your local milkman - fresh milk on the doorstep and you know those glass bottles will be reused.
- Say no to plastic straws: When ordering beverages, request no straws or consider using alternatives like metal, bamboo, or paper straws.
Councillor Bob Kelly, Cumberland Council’s Executive Portfolio Holder for Cumberland Policy and Regulatory Services, said:
“Cumberland Council aims to raise awareness about the impact of plastic waste on the environment and encourage individuals to make greener decisions, and Plastic Free July is an ideal time to start change in the community.
“Plastic waste is not only unsightly, but the pollution, especially in our oceans, can cause serious effects to sea life, by causing suffocation, entanglement, lacerations, infections, and internal injuries.
“While the prospect of going plastic-free may seem overwhelming at first, it is important to remember that every small step counts. By making simple changes in our daily lives, we can collectively make a significant impact on the environment”.