Sustainability

Sustainable Dorset

Rather than reinvent the wheel and make a new list of ways to go greener we have included links to Sustainable Dorset’s website that already have comprehensive information and ideas on sustainability

https://www.sustainabledorset.org

Live Sustainably

How to reduce plastic waste

Here are some ways to save plastic, from Sustainable Dorset website

More than 8 million tons of plastic are dumped into our oceans every year! Packaging accounts for just over 40% of total plastic usage. Over 100 billion plastic beverage bottles are sold in the U.S alone each year. Annually approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide each with a “working life” of a mere 15 minutes.

Here are some simple ideas for you to adopt to reduce your plastic usage and waste:

  • Take your own bag to the shops
  • Drink tap water and carry it in your own stainless steel bottle
  • Don’t buy body scrubs – those tiny beads are usually made of plastic
  • Choose fruit and vegetables that are not wrapped in plastic
  • Don’t use ‘single use’ plates, knives, forks etc. wash up after you eat
  • Wherever you can, choose liquid products that can be re-filled rather than bought new etc
  • Refuse plastic straws in your drinks, try stainless steel or paper
  • If you can’t find an alternative to single-use plastic, make sure you recycle it
  • Don’t celebrate with balloon releases, the chances are the balloons will land in the ocean, choking seabirds, turtles and marine mammals
  • Use crystal deodorants – they last far longer, are more effective and some even come with no plastic packaging at all
  • Use good old-fashioned soap – it works as well as liquid soap and lasts longer
  • Buy butter wrapped in paper instead of in a plastic tub

Here are some Plastic Free Home Tips from Friends of the Earth

Non-toxic home cleaning