6 Easy Ways to Cut Plastic

It's Plastic Free July this month so to help you cut down on your plastic use we've created this handy list.

We at A,D8 UK Limited are always working really hard behind the scenes making sure all our properties are as eco friendly as they can. We are taking advice from the Energy Performance Rating certificates on being more energy efficient, we're making sure as many properties as possible are on green and renewable energy tariffs, we're making our cleaning routine and general hygiene as green and as plastic free as we can and we're also looking at the furniture and furnishing inside our properties to make those as sustainable and planet friendly as we can make them.

But what can you do on a day to day basis or when you're staying at one of our properties to limit your plastic use? Here are our top 6 ways to ditch the plastic.

1 - Ditch plastic shopping bags

We are all on the band wagon of using re-usable shopping bags, which is amazing. But did you bring them on holiday? Likely not! A,D8 supplies shopping trolleys in each property so you can ditch the plastic bags altogether and not spend your holiday money on more plastic shopping bags. Another alternative is to use your hand luggage case and if it's on wheels, or purchase a locally printed tote bag - a useful item and a souvenir all in one!

2 - Invest in a bamboo toothbrush

Head on over to your closest supermarket, health store or local zero waste store and grab yourself a bamboo toothbrush. You can even now buy electric toothbrushes made from bamboo if you're happier giving your teeth a good electric brush.
You'll feel good about yourself brushing your pegs knowing that your small action has made an impact on the reduction of plastic and the next time you see a photo of a turtle with a toothbrush up its nose you'll be certain it wasn't yours!

3 - buy shampoo in bars rather than bottles

Ditching the single use plastic shampoo bottles for a shampoo bar is great for the environment, makes your hair look beautiful AND they don't count towards your liquid allowance on flights either...win, win, win!
Check out this Good Housekeeping guide to using shampoo bars and the best ones to buy here

4 - Reusable Take Out Coffee Cups

Although coffee cups appear to be paper, many have plastic linings on the inside and don't forget the coffee lid. And if you think the plant based plastic cups are the answer, think again. Unfortunately most of that plastic can only be commercially composted and there are very few commercial composters in the UK meaning the plastic still ends up in landfill. If it's placed in with the plastic recycling, it can void the whole load of plastic as it can't be recycled. It's a minefield!
The most sustainable way to grab your coffee is to take your own reusable coffee cup, which you can easily grab at a supermarket or even the coffee shop themselves. Many coffee shops even give a small discount for using your own cup. It's a great incentive to cut the takeaway cups saving both parties money and from harming the environment.

5 - carry a REUSABLE water bottle

Single use plastic drinks bottles are the single biggest contributor to single use plastic waste in the world. Carrying a reusable water bottle is not only better for the environment it's better for your pocket too!

Winchester has signed up to the Refill scheme so wherever you see this sign in shop windows or restaurants/bars etc. you know you can refill for free. There is also a free water fountain in Abbey Gardens. Look out for the Refill sign or download the app to find free refills wherever you go refill.org.uk

6 - Buy loose fruit and vegatables

Plastic wrapped fruit and veg is an ecological nightmare as most fruit and veg already has a build in protective layer anyway that we peel off! The single use plastic wrap mostly ends up in landfill as it can't easily be recycled so the best way to avoid it is to buy loose produce placed in reuseable produce bags (available in all major supermarkets) when shopping in the supermarket or greengrocers.
If there is no alternative available in the shop you're in you are able to remove the produce after purchase and leave the plastic for the retailer to recycle.

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