The 5th of June marks World Environment Day and for 2023, we are being reminded that our actions on plastic pollution matter.

For this year, World Environment Day 2023 is hosted by Côte d’Ivoire in partnership with the Netherlands. The day is focused on solutions to plastic pollution and marks 50 years since the day was established by the United Nations General Assembly.

Businesses and individuals are being asked for World Environment Day to join together to #BeatPlasticPollution and embrace a circular economy. 

But how can we begin to beat plastic pollution? And embrace a circular economy? If you want to make a difference to the planet and protect the environment all year round, here are just a few ideas:

Focus on energy conservation

With energy costing more than ever, we need to reduce our consumption and our reliance on fossil fuels. Making changes such as using LED lights and investing in low-energy appliances can certainly help. And you can even consider having ‘no-power-hours’ regularly to reduce energy consumption.

Stop using plastic items where possible

Single-use packaging and disposable items have meant throw-away plastic has increased dramatically over the last 70 years and now makes up 85% of marine waste. This can’t continue and both individuals and businesses need to stop relying on plastic for everyday use. 

Get the government to take action

Whilst we all play a part in helping to reduce pollution and our carbon footprint, it has never been so important to make the government accountable. Speak to your MP and local councillors on how waste management and recycling initiatives can be improved across your nation and see what support is available for businesses to make their business sustainable in the long term.

Support an environmental cause

There are so many amazing organisations such as WWF and the Eden Reforestation Projects that are doing incredible things to protect the environment. But they can only do it with support from individuals. Think about fundraisers you can do to support them or even volunteering if donations are not possible.

Embrace the 3 R’s

The clue is in our name – we are a big fan of the 3 R’s: Reuse, Reduce and Recycle. We recommend adopting this principle where possible in business and everyday life. Think about buying second-hand items from Gumtree, Vinted and Facebook Marketplace. Even using reusable bags for shopping and reusable water bottles can make a difference. And if you use cardboard boxes for shipping and packing, consider using used cardboard boxes. 

There is no planet B. This is it. And the more we spend time protecting it, the better it will be for future generations. To learn more about this World Environment Day and how you can get involved, click here: https://www.worldenvironmentday.global/