Glastonbury’s done it… schools around the country are doing it… can you stop using single-use plastic?

It’s definitely a challenge and takes some forward planning but at Hotel Chocolat we’re trying extra hard to minimise our environmental impact for Plastic-Free July and beyond. Here’s what we can all do to make sustainable changes:

• Ditch bought water and take a refillable bottle everywhere.
• Take your reusable coffee cup out with you.
• Swap cling film for beeswax wrap or use brown paper sandwich bags for packed lunches.
• Never go shopping without your reusable shopping bags. We have them in the car, in our bags and at the office.
• Put fruit and veg in the supermarket into paper bags (use the ones provided for mushrooms) if needed – or just loose with the rest of your shopping. Refuse pre-packed produce where possible as they use non-recyclable, single-use plastics.
• Don’t underestimate how good it feels to reduce the rubbish that hits your doormat each day! Unsubscribe from mailing lists to minimise your envelope usage. Try using the Mail Preference Service as well as online retailers’ own services. For those that you just can’t stop, did you know that windowed envelopes can be recycled in your paper collection?
• Research businesses that offer a refill service. This is a huge growth area and you can read what Waitrose have been trailing in Oxford here. Test out independent shops offering zero waste shopping such as The Source Bulk Foods in Chiswick, London or in Digbeth, Birmingham
• Stop using – or accepting – plastic straws. There are now brilliant metal or compostable alternatives widely available.
• Teabags contain microplastics. Yes, really. Green lifestyle blog Moral Fibres has a really useful guide to what to look for on labels.

Head over to www.plasticfreejuly.org for more tips.

We’d love to know what you’re doing. Tag us @hotelchocolat and use #PlasticFreeJuly.