The Welsh government recently announced plans to introduce a ban on several items made from single-use plastic, including plastic straws, cotton buds and plastic cutlery. This will be implemented from 2021 as part of a strategy to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in our oceans and on beaches across Wales- harming both marine environments and the beauty of the nation’s coastline.

The proposal has received much praise over Twitter and from environmental organizations such as Greenpeace, with many advocating other nations to follow suit. However Wales is certainly not the first country to attempt to phase out single use plastics, following nations such as Canada, France, Scotland and Samoa.

In fact a ban on plastic straws and cotton buds was due to be introduced here in England in the next few weeks, though of course this may be delayed as the coronavirus crisis continues to snowball. Even more encouraging is that the European Parliament has voted for a similar ban of an even wider range of single-use plastic items across the EU which is hoped to take effect early next year.

This legislated phasing out of plastic usage is definitely a positive step forwards in the fight to save our planet as it promotes less waste going into landfill- a key producer of methane which contributes to climate change. However, there is still so much we as individuals and consumers can do to help the planet. Below is a list of several easy things that we can do in our daily lives to make a difference.

1. Reduce meat consumption

All meats require more land, water and resources than the same quantity of plant-based foods. For instance, growing a kilogram of vegetables uses about 322 litres of water, whereas the same amount of beef requires a massive 15,415 litres. This is problematic as the planet is experiencing growing water shortages as freshwater reservoirs continue to dry up. However, this is not to say we should cut out meat completely, in fact buying some British meats likely has a less harmful environmental impact than purchasing imported alternative proteins.

British beef is very often produced efficiently and sustainably due to the environmental protection standards that farmers must adhere to in the UK. Although, this is not true to say for all British meats, for instance large amounts of the feed used to fatten chickens in Britain is imported from areas of South America where demand is driving mass deforestation in order to clear sufficient land. It is therefore extremely important to always check that our meat is coming from environmentally conscious producers. So though we don’t have to cut it out completely, reducing our meat intake to maybe three times a week and buying sustainably would massively reduce our carbon footprint, the pressure exuded on water resources and demand for deforestation- all of which could make a huge impact in protecting our planet. Easy and delicious vegetarian recipes can be found on all the main supermarkets’ websites as well as BBC Good Food.

2. Buy seasonal food produced locally

Foods that are out of season yet available on our supermarket shelves are pretty much guaranteed to have been imported, for example strawberries in winter. Due to the carbon footprint of imported food, via food miles, it is probably best we switch to local produce whenever possible. Chefs like Jamie Oliver and Anna Jones have come up with a multitude of recipes involving ingredients specific to each season which are definitely worth trying out.

3. Boycott fast fashion and try second-hand

Fast fashion is one of our biggest producers of Co2 emissions and shockingly consumes more energy than the flight and shipping industries combined. It has soared in popularity in recent years with companies such as Pretty Little Thing, Boohoo and Zara desperate to produce and ship out the latest trends as quickly as possible, irrespective of the environmental consequences. Unfortunately fast fashion has become almost ingrained in our culture, so naturally it will be difficult to cut out completely. However, there are plenty of ways we can bypass this harmful industry whilst still getting our hands on some great pieces, namely through shopping second-hand or vintage, setting up a clothes swap with friends and trying out Depop.

4. Try to fly less and if you do fly, carbon offset

It’s pretty well-known that flying releases scary amounts of Co2 into our atmosphere each year. Carbon offsetting your flights could be a partial solution to this, though even better would be to try and use alternative means of transport. The Eurostar often does great deals for off-peak journeys to cities like Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, and travellers under 28 get a 25% discount on interrail passes. This is a great excuse to explore more of Europe and not feel so guilty about your environmental impact.

5. Try to waste less food

By wasting food we are unnecessarily increasing the demand for plastic production, land usage and food miles- all of which increasing our carbon footprint. There are plenty of great apps out there that help us with this, my favourite of these being ‘Olio’ which allows you to offer and collect food locally that might otherwise go to waste- be this from your neighbours or even local restaurants and bakeries. What a treat.

6. Try to reduce plastic consumption

One less obvious way we can do this that would make a huge difference is through targeting our consumption of cosmetic products which often incorporate a lot of plastic. For instance a great place to start would be avoiding products containing microbeads – a known polluter of our oceans, and palm oil – an ingredient in many of our shampoos, facewashes and lipsticks whose extraction is driving mass deforestation. Likewise, switching to biodegradable baby wipes and face wipes to remove makeup, or better still using re-usable cotton pads that are washed in the washing machine (these can be easily found on Amazon, I can recommend ones by ‘GreenNatured’). Other simple ways to limit our plastic consumption is to take plastic bags with you to do any kind of shopping, and to always bring a water bottle out with you to avoid having to buy plastic ones.

7. Use your voice

This is perhaps the most important thing we can do. Joining an activist group to help push the government towards more ambitious environmental targets or protesting the fossil fuel industry could be the way to make the biggest difference.

Though sometimes it can feel like we as individuals can’t do enough to help our planet recover, every small change we make counts and helps towards the bigger picture. The new governmental legislation reminds us that change is still possible and is happening. Though a bit cliché, it seems like a good idea to end with the words of David Attenborough: ‘every one of us has the power to make changes now. We are running out of time but there is still hope.’

More Redbrick articles about the environment…

Are Supermarkets Starting To Take Sustainability Seriously?

What’s the Beef? It’s Killing the Amazon