It's Plastic Free July and each week un_rap is focusing on a key area to give up plastic.
Week 1: Out & About -How do we reduce single use on-the-go?
Every Day
Every day we leave the house with a bag packed with essentials. Next to our wallet, keys and phone, are reusables:
Reusable water bottle
Reusable coffee cup
Reusable Mask
If we forget to fill our water bottle before leaving, we look our for Refill stickers in windows around town. These show us who is happy to refill. In Falmouth there is also a new water fountain on The Moor. Reusable coffee cups are still accepted in many cafes during Covid. Independent coffee shops were quick to find contactless ways to fill reusable cups. To name a few in Falmouth: Beacon, Rubicund, Good Vibes.
Day Out
If we are heading out for the day, to do some shopping or visit another town, we will pack a few extras:
Reusable straw
Reusable cutlery
Reusable produce bags
Reusable pint glass
When our routine changes or we visit a different place, it is challenging to keep up good habits. Simple preparations such as carrying our own cutlery set or metal straw can reduce single -use waste.
We carry a few cotton produce bags in case we find a refill store or green grocer.
We are also known for turning up to a pub with a reusable pint glass. Before Covid local festivals and pubs were trying to reduce single-use plastic glasses thanks to awareness campaigns from organisations such as Plastic Free Falmouth. As things reopen and pubs struggle to find solutions, I turn up with my own cup, left over from a festival 3 years ago.
Adventure Day:
We love adventures, from hiking on the Coast Path, to picnics on the Helford and watching sunsets on the beach. For long days out we pack:
Lunchbox
Reusable food wraps
Flask of tea
Plastic free plasters
Natural sunscreen
Packing a picnic is a great way to avoid single-use waste. We often pack leftovers from dinner in our lunchbox, wrap sandwiches made with Stones bread in reusable food wraps or put warm soup in a flask. We also pack a small first aid kit of biodegradable plasters, sunscreen and lip balm, all available at un_rap.
10% Discount this Wednesday on all Out & About products
Throughout Plastic Free July we are running a discount day on Wednesdays on all products relating to the weekly theme. This week on Wednesday 7th July all 'Out & About' products will have a 10% discount. This includes: lunchboxes, water bottles, coffee cups, cutlery, straws, produce bags, tote bags and more...
~ Competition Time ~
Be in for a chance to win this gift box of plastic free solutions worth £70!
How to enter?
> Subscribe to our Newsletter
> Follow us on Facebook & Instagram > Comment on our social media post advertising the gift box and tell us your favourite Plastic Free swap. Instagram and Facebook Competition winner will be announced on 31st July. If you do not have Facebook or Instagram, drop us an email telling us your favourite Plastic Free Solution and we will enter you into the draw (inclusivity is important!).
The prize includes:
un_rap reusable coffee cup, tote bag, reusable cutlery set, 2 x produce bags filled with pasta and mango, oat milk chocolate bar, biodegradable washing up brush, bamboo toothbrush, plastic free tooth floss, natural deodorant and dissolvable laundry sheets.
5 minute thoughts...
Convenience has snuck its way into our lives. Humans have progressed rapidly in the last few decades, thanks to science, technology and innovative companies. Although many amazing discoveries and solutions have been invented, negative side effects have also developed. Our dependence on convenience is producing an unmanageable amount of waste that is negatively impacting the environment, but we also believe it is negatively impacting our health.
Productivity seems to have become an admiral quality in society - work hard, be busy, be tired, prioritise money and 'success'. Advertisements reinforce these habits around every corner. They actively try and make our lives 'better' by selling us convenience. We strongly believe, from research and personal experience, the trick to a fulfilling life lies in slowing down. We discovered this by giving up plastics...
Avoiding single-use plastics while out & about brought mindfulness into our everyday routine. To start with we became frustrated with the amount of plastic around us, but then every time we found a solution or an alternative we were filled with hope and endorphins. We started shopping at independent shops and became friendly with the shop keepers, which improved our day and made us feel more connected to our local community. We also realised that our money was staying in the local economy, providing positive jobs for local people. Our shopping took longer, but we were more fulfilled, more peaceful, more physically active. We were less addicted to advertisements from large companies and more aware of our addiction to endorphins from buying useless goods. Avoiding plastic packaging had huge ripple effects on our whole life.
Final note...
Reducing single use plastics while out & about is a fantastic way to start a waste free journey. All products mentioned in this blog are available to browse in un_rap. Please reach out if you have any questions or pop into un_rap for a chat.
Thanks for reading. We will be back next Monday with tips on reducing plastic in our next theme 'Food & Kitchen' #un_rap