2. Six simple ways to reduce your plastic waste
We can all do our bit to reduce plastic waste, see the below ideas of how you could do this.
1. Stop buying bottled water
In the UK we use more than 35 million plastic bottles every year. A simple way of reducing that number is to carry a reusable bottle with you everyday and the added bonus is that it will save you money too. In fact, there's an app which actually tells you where you can refill your bottle for free.
2. Ditch straws on a night out
Plastic straws are one of the top 10 items found in beach clean ups so unless it's a paper version going in your drink, say no.
If you're really passionate about changing the tide on plastic straws, Greenpeace suggests asking the manager at your local pub or bar to think about ditching them or switching to paper straws.
3. Invest in a reusable spork
Not the most sophisticated of lunchtime accessories to carry around in your bag, but if it's there it means you won't have to grab any plastic cutlery when you're having lunch on the go.
4. Avoid microbeads and glitter
They're the little exfoliating beads you get in some face washes, and they're so small they end up going down the drain and into the ocean, where they don't belong.
Steer clear of using products which contain them and whilst we're on it, glitter is just as bad. It's another type of micro-plastic that makes its way into our seas, affecting marine life and can be solved by switching to environmentally-friendly glitter.
5. Get yourself a reusable bag
Since the 5p charge was introduced for plastic bags in England, there's been a 85% drop in their use.
So if you're not already carrying a reusable bag around with you then you're behind the trend.
6. Buy loose
Whether it's fruit, veg or tins of beans, buying them loose means you avoid the plastic packaging that keeps them all together in a multipack.
(Above taken from BBC newsbeat 11 December 2017)