World Environment Day is celebrated on the 5th June every year and the theme for 2018 is Beat Plastic Pollution. It is the United Nation’s flagship day for encouraging and promoting worldwide awareness and taking action for the protection of our environment.
”Plastic pollution is one of the biggest environmental challenges of our time, with statistics showing that there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish by 2050. To change the future, we each need to play our part. Whether it is a bottled soft drink, a bag from the supermarket, or a spoon in a coffee shop, single-use plastic has become embedded in our daily lives. The low cost, convenience and lightness of these products have revolutionized the packaging of goods. However, it is now clear that this convenience has had a catastrophic impact on the environment.
World Environment Day 2018UN Environment
“If you can’t re-use it, refuse it”
This is the supporting mantra for World Environment Day 2018. Organisers want individuals to think about the volume of plastic they throw out, where it ends up and how collectively, this wastage has had a detrimental effect on the environment.
Let’s take a moment to stop and think, how often do you use and then almost immediately throw out the below items in plastic form?
We’re guessing quite a lot!
- Bottled drinks (water, soft drink, juice)
- Super market bags
- Take away containers
- Spoons and forks
- Coffee cups
- Drink cups
- Plates
- Straws
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Body wash
- Toothpaste
- Sunscreen
Here are some alternatives to single-use plastic.
How does Conn3cted reduce waste?
As a business/organisation, we’re encouraged to make an impact. We can do this by addressing our plastic waste, discuss current efforts to reduce it and identify ways we can improve. Encouraging discussions of this nature can inspire our team to brainstorm ideas that would help make a difference.
What we already do
Conn3cted already have some systems in place to recycle and reduce waste.
Recycle plastic water bottles and soft drink cans: Our CIO Kelly Lamborn collects plastic water bottles and soft drink cans for her daughter, who earns a bit of pocket money by recycling them.
Soft plastic recycling: We encourage team members to recycle their soft plastics by placing plastic bags etc in a box. Once a week, we take this to our local Coles who have teamed up with REDcycle, by providing recycling bins in their stores for soft plastics.
Re-use coffee trays: We re-use our coffee trays and if we’ve collected a few, we return them to our local coffee shop.
Limited printing: We have a paperless policy at Conn3cted, where we try and minimise printing. Our CTO Glenn Murray believes that, as we’re in 2018, most things can be delivered digitally, so there is really no need to print. Limiting printing can also reduce ink cartridge waste, which reduces the amount of plastic going to landfill.
What more can we do?
Although we think we have some good measures in place to recycle, there is always more that we can all do to protect the environment. For example, we can take this further by reducing the amount of waste we produce. Bottled water is something the team goes through quickly, especially in summer, so we’re in the process of assessing filtered water options so that the team can fill up their own reusable containers.
More importantly, everyone can do their bit for the environment by helping to spread the word, get people talking and start taking action!
We’re looking to reduce the amount of waste we produce.
Go to the World Environment Day website to find out more ways you can get involved.
#worldenvironmentday #beatplasticpollution
Conn3cted are a digital technology agency that create beautifully designed digital products with a clear focus on a better customer experience.