Presence of ‘beacon’ litter causes more litter

A study conducted by Keep Britain Tidy’s Centre for Social Innovation has found that the presence of large and brightly coloured litter leads to further littering by others, as people feel it must be socially acceptable in the area they are in. The research also showed that if an area is free from this bold litter, it is less likely that people will litter there.

The research

The ‘Beacons of Litter’ social experiment was conducted in two locations: Stourbridge in the West Midlands and Stoke Newington in north-east London. Within each location, three areas were cleaned up; one area was kept clean, one had ‘beacon’ items planted in it (large/brightly coloured litter), and one had smaller items of litter planted in it, such as small pieces of paper and tissues.

All of the areas were then monitored for litter and human behaviour regarding litter, with observations in this study totalling 72 hours. The experiment was conducted six times within a two-week time period at each location.

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Scientists develop plastic-free microbead alternative

Scientists at the University of Bath have developed a plastic-free microbead alternative that won’t pollute our oceans.

Microbeads are manufactured solid plastic particles of less than 5mm in width, which are often found in beauty products such as body and facial scrubs, and toothpaste. These tiny plastic beads have met heavy criticism in recent years due to the fact that they slip through sewage filtration systems, ending up in our waterways and oceans, where they are innocently consumed by marine life and birds. In fact, a recent study estimated that nine in 10 of the world’s seabirds have plastic in their stomachs.

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How to live a zero waste lifestyle outside of a major city

I love reading zero waste blogs, and articles about zero waste advocates such as Bea Johnson. However, with enjoyment and admiration comes frustration at the zero waste lifestyle they all discuss being so difficult to achieve in smaller towns and cities which don’t often offer the option of purchasing an array of loose produce.

Certainly the town I live in doesn’t have anywhere dedicated to selling loose produce such as nuts, seeds, pulses, spices and household cleaning liquids. The local market sells loose fruit and vegetables, but that is where the line is drawn. Even if it did sell the loose items I required, the journey to and from the market wouldn’t be very earth-friendly as it is far away from my home and I couldn’t cycle with all my goods.

So, what do you do if your circumstances aren’t ideal for living a zero waste lifestyle? You try your best with the options you have available to you, because some waste reduction is better than no waste reduction. Try the below suggestions to cut your waste.

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Straws suck: UK pub chain clamps down on plastic straws

Peter Borg-Neal, the boss of UK pub chain Oakman Inns, was recently shown a YouTube video of a turtle having a plastic straw removed from its nostril, with the turtle in obvious pain and discomfort. This video had a huge impact on him personally and therefore on his business, too. Borg-Neal said:

“My response when I saw the video was the same as anyone else. It’s appalling and horribly unnecessary. Those straws simply should not be in the sea.”

In a direct reaction to the video he watched, Borg-Neal decided to restrict straw availability in his chain of 17 pubs, which had been collectively working their way through 100,000 plastic straws per month. He rolled out the campaign across the chain on 22nd April 2017, only giving out straws when they are requested; no longer giving them out automatically.

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Aldi fights food waste with improved packaging

Aldi has unveiled new fresh produce packaging, which features tips on maximising shelf life and cutting food waste at home.

This news comes following the January 2017 announcement that UK households wasted 7.3 million tonnes of food in 2015. This figure was higher than previous years, meaning food waste at home is on the rise despite Government pledges to cut it. WRAP encouraged retailers to make changes following January’s annoucement, and this packaging change is Aldi’s response.

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Pubs told to shrink plate sizes in battle against food waste

In a country that is currently throwing away £13bn of food at home each year, many suggestions are being made on how to tackle the issue of wasted food. This figure doesn’t even consider the food waste created outside of the home, which is an equally large problem faced by the UK, and one being investigated currently.

Waste Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has been advising MPs, who are investigating how to cut food waste figures in the UK, and have suggested that pubs serving carveries should switch to smaller plate sizes.

Meals at pub carveries are sold at one set price for adults and are often self-serve, which leads people to fit as much food on their plate as possible, to get the best ‘value for money’ – or just because their eyes are bigger than their stomach, as suggested by Labour MP Angela Smith. More often than not, this results in leftovers of good food on plates, which then end up in the bin.

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How one woman cut Denmark’s food waste by 25%

In Denmark, one woman has been credited by the Government for single-handedly helping the country to cut its national food waste by 25 per cent in just five years.

Selina Juul, who moved to Denmark from Russia when she was 13-years-old, has always had an interest in the environment, sustainability and global responsibility. Viewing food waste as disrespectful, Juul set up a Facebook page in 2008 called ‘Stop Wasting Food’ (Stop Spild Af Mad, in Danish), and just one week later she was a national figure.

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Millennials more likely to waste food, study finds

7m tonnes of household food waste is thrown out per year in the UK, which is worth an estimated £7.5bn. A study by a national supermarket has found that younger people are more likely to be creating the majority of this waste than older generations.

The Sainsbury’s study concluded that there is a large generational gap regarding food waste. Over half of under 35s have a ‘live to eat’ mindset, placing more importance on the pleasure of food than its necessity, and conversely, the majority of those 35 and over fall into the ‘eat to live’ category. Only a third of over 55s ‘live to eat’.

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90% of new power in Europe from renewable sources

In a clear sign of Europe’s recent shift away from fossil fuels, it has been found that nearly 90 per cent of the power added to the EU’s electricity grids in 2016 was from renewable sources. Wind farms accounted for more than half of this power (51 per cent), for the first time ever, with the other renewable sources being solar, biomass, and hydro.

Chart: Forge Recycling. Data source: WindEurope
Chart: Forge Recycling. Data source: WindEurope

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Win a Zero Waste lunch kit with Forge Recycling!

This competition has ended. Thank you to all who entered. The lucky winner was Alison Barlow on Twitter.

Was one of your new year’s resolutions for 2017 to waste less, to cut out plastic, or perhaps to save money? Whichever of those camps you fall into, this competition is definitely for you! Or, maybe you’d just like to win a fantastic zero waste freebie for yourself or a loved one.

Of all the zero waste challenges in life, lunch is a big one. After all, how many of us grab lunch from a local shop or café, which involves all manner of ‘single-use’ plastics? Even if you pack your own lunch at home, avoiding waste can be very tricky – many people use cling film, foil, and sandwich bags as habit.

So, how can you pack a zero waste lunch? With a zero waste lunch kit, of course!

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