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When the mid-point of the yr comes round, many people within the western hemisphere take into consideration seashore holidays and picnics within the park. However many individuals could not find out about Plastic Free July, a global marketing campaign to cut back plastic use throughout this month. What started in 2011 in a small city in Western Australia has ballooned into a world phenomenon, with an estimated 140 million individuals from over 190 international locations.
Right here at Cisco, we’re engaged on our personal schooling marketing campaign round Plastic Free July, encouraging workers to study extra in regards to the plastic disaster and take concrete motion to cut back their plastic affect for the month. The hope is that motion taken over a month-long interval can encourage a lifelong shift away from plastic.
However why is plastic an issue? In spite of everything, many people recycle at residence and on the go.
The issue with plastic
The Ellen MacArthur Basis, a number one round financial system basis, estimates that solely 14 % of plastic packaging is collected for recycling. And as soon as obtained at a recycling plant, solely 5 % of that materials worth could be upcycled into one other product.
This lack of recyclability is by design. Most pliable packaging is designed to be solely single-use, consider the plastic cellophane generally wrapped round produce, or the stiff plastic on digital objects. These widespread bits of plastic don’t have any inherent worth and are sometimes missorted into residential recycling bins in what the business calls “wish-cycling.” Want-cycling is placing objects into the recycling bin and hoping they’re recyclable. Contaminating the waste stream with un-recyclable supplies burdens the waste business with extra prices (sorting, labor, restore to equipment) and has contributed to the decreased worth of recycling markets.
Cisco’s tackle Plastic Free July
Armed with this data, our Plastic Free July marketing campaign on Cisco’s inner platform, Cisco Greenhouse, encourages workers to take child steps to cut back the quantity of plastic of their lives. Beneath are a few of the most typical and impactful actions taken up to now:
Use reusable luggage on the market and grocery retailer. When seeking to cut back plastic, it’s useful to see the place probably the most plastic seems in your life. For many people, this occurs on the grocery retailer and market with pre-packaged meals. Subsequent time you’re buying, convey your individual bag to hold residence your items, and attempt to buy objects that don’t come pre-wrapped in plastic.
Strive a bar of cleaning soap as a substitute of pump cleaning soap or bathe gel. This straightforward change may prevent cash. Pump cleaning soap and bathe gel usually include excessive quantity of water pre-added to their options. Bar cleaning soap, alternatively, is principally cleaning soap focus and may final equally so long as the diluted alternate options. There are even bar shampoos and conditioners!
Deliver a reusable water bottle on-the-go. As a substitute of buying a big pack of single-use water bottles, put money into a pleasant metallic, glass, or bamboo water bottle. Not solely will you cut back the quantity of waste you’re producing, however you may as well look fashionable and sustainable on the identical time.
Simply Say “No.” A lot of our plastic waste could be averted by refusing it within the first place. In case you neglect your reusable bag on the market, strive carrying the objects if you’ll be able to versus accepting the plastic bag supplied by your grocer. Equally, if you get take-out, refuse the pre-packaged cutlery that usually comes together with your order. Refusing plastic is a straightforward option to start slicing down on the quantity of plastic each produced and polluted.
With simply over per week left within the month, I problem you to attempt to undertake one of many actions above into your day by day life.
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