Plastic is popular due to its many practical uses, including packaging, clothing, and most items around your home and workplace, with 40% of all plastic produced each year being single-use [1]. It is reported that in the UK we use 38.5 million plastic bottles every day[2] – single-use items like bottles, crisp packets, and food packaging are often littered – which then gets swept into drains, ending up in our rivers and sea.
It is estimated that every year 11 million tonnes of this plastic enter the ocean each year. Ocean currents carry waste and collect it together creating huge patches of ocean smothered in our waste
One community’s example of tackling the problem: Leeds North West Plastic Free Community
Senior Environmental Consultant Evie Scott helps tackle the issues of single-use plastics in their local community through a Surfers Against Sewage Community initiative, here is her story:
How did it start?
“Back in 2019, I saw a friend set up a plastic-free shop in Ramsbottom, Greater Manchester. They really impressed me with their community initiatives which got me thinking about how I could do something similar where I lived in West Leeds.
I contacted my local councillor to express my interest in volunteering to become a community leader for the Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) Plastic Free Community, and I wanted buy-in from our local councillors and MP. It turned out I wasn’t the only one interested in this project – and I was connected to Kirsty Tucker (now the leader of Plastic Free North-West Leeds) and a small group of like-minded individuals all making a difference in the community.
Over the last few years, we have worked hard to make improvements within our community and are on set to gain our community free status soon!
What is a Plastic Free Community?
A plastic-free community is a SAS initiative to bring communities together to tackle plastic pollution in their area. However, to be a Plastic Free Community there are several pledges and commitments that we have had (and are still!) to complete:
Here are the team and many volunteers for one of our many litter picks near the local canal and River Aire:
SAS is not just about plastic – here is a photo from our recent protest against dumping sewage – we had a number of our community allies attending to show their support!
How can you show your support?
Here at Temple, we strive to make a difference and protect the environment, promoting positive change for our clients and communities. As a B Corp, we seek to support wider transformative objectives, such as building our sustainability strategy around Zero Harm / Net Gain principles and recognising that businesses must do more to be forces for good. Whether that is supporting sustainability via reducing carbon footprints within the development, improving the local biodiversity, or working to understand community impact, we aim to make a difference.
Recommended Books: How to Save the World For Free a book by Natalie Fee. (bookshop.org)
[1] What is the problem with plastic? – BBC Newsround
Plastic bottles: Turning Back the Plastic Tide – Environmental Audit Committee – House of Commons (parliament.uk)
[3] How do you clean up the ocean’s biggest rubbish dump? – BBC Newsround
[4] The chemicals that linger for decades in your blood – BBC Future
[5] Who are the Dirty Dozen? (sas.org.uk)
[i] What is the problem with plastic? – BBC Newsround