Thanks to David for the first two pictures
On Monday the Abingdon Mayor, Jan Morter, opened the Abingdon Cuts Plastic events at the Community Shop. She awarded two 5 star certificates to The Mouse Hole Café in the Abingdon County Hall Museum and to the Barns Café at Christchurch Northcourt Road for their achievements in reducing plastics in their catering.
Abingdon Cuts Plastic displays and lunchtime events are on all this week (16-21st April) at the Community Shop in the Bury Street Precinct 11am to 4.30pm (10am to 4.30pm Fri & Sat). Drop in and learn how to cut your use of plastics!
I visited the exhibition on Tuesday lunchtime and saw the company that allows you to re-fill your own container with detergents; looked at what plastic can be recycled and what can’t; and saw the pile of un-rotting plastic on the floor.
There was an interesting meeting today with representatives from Waitrose talking about their attempts to reduce single-use plastics. It was very thought-provoking – some of the things we think are obviously good ideas are not so straightforward in practice. But they are certainly trying!
I bet if there was a profit in it they’d try harder…
Everyone wants to save the planet; but not if it costs the earth…*
Thankyou Abingdon Carbon Cutters and the hard work of a few members for organising this week – long initiative in the town centre. I hope they have lots of people calling in at the Community shop in the Precinct for ideas, encouragement and information. Like Hester I was at the meeting there with the Waitrose representatives and there was learning on both sides. Supermarkets respond to public pressure – that was clear. They know it is also in their best economic interests as well as in the interests of the environment.
Hi Hester, would you be able to elaborate a little on the comment you made saying “some of the things we think are obviously good ideas are not so straightforward in practice”? I’m very keen to learn more on the topic – especially when it comes to big companies. Thank you in advance.
Apparently they are calling for Q tips and straws to be banned. I can remember when straws were waxed paper and Q tips had wooden sticks.
Sam
The one that stuck most in my mind was about bringing your own containers to buy stuff from the fresh fish/meat counter: they have stringent rules and procedures in place for keeping the serving area sterile – how will they maintain those standards when people bring in containers which may be, shall we say, less clean? Re the “bring your own coffee cup” plan, the issue is more a commercial one – how do they stop people just walking in and grabbing a coffee without buying anything? Re loose vegetables – for all,of those of us who want them, there are probably at least as many who just want to pick up a pre-pack so they have to cater for both.
None of them insurmountable – but just not as straightforward as we might think.
my work place has brought out a pledge we can sign up to. They also have a good summary. The 5 Rs.
1. REFUSE — Avoid buying items you dont really need
2. REDUCE – consume less and reduce stress by practising simplicity
3. REUSE — rely more on items that can be reused over and over
4 REPURPOSE — use something for another purpose rather than throwing it away
5 RECYCLE — Paper, glass, cans, plastic, and buy items made from recycled material
Common sense really but I’m sure some people will dismiss it all as just a lot of R’s.
I’ve seen that somewhere before backstreeter; it’s good to see it being used again…
Thank you for taking the time to reply Hester, very interesting.