Plastic Free Chesterfield are looking to sign up Community Allies. These are community groups, charities, community centres, churches, and community events. This page will list some ideas for Plastic Free Swaps that you can take so as to sign up and take the Plastic Free Pledge and thus join us as an Ally.
If you’re a community centre/church/community building OR you are organisation who use an office building
- Use washing up cloths made of materials like loofah INSTEAD OF plastic-lined washing up pads
- You can buy these from Steph’s Sustainable Stuff
- Use alternative (e.g. wooden) scourer brushes INSTEAD OF plastic-lined scourer pads
- You can buy these from Steph’s Sustainable Stuff
- Use a reusable cloth to wipe down surfaces INSTEAD OF plastic-lined wipes
- You can buy these from Steph’s Sustainable Stuff
- Use loose tea INSTEAD OF plastic-lined teabags
- You can buy this from Steph’s Sustainable Stuff, Northern Tea Merchants or Cup & Saucer
- Keep food fresh with beeswax / vegan food wraps INSTEAD OF using single-use plastic clingfilm
- You can buy these from Steph’s Sustainable Stuff or Waste Not Want Not
- Order milk in glass bottles from a milkman INSTEAD OF buying single-use plastic milk bottles
- You can buy this from Goodwin’s Dairy or Needham’s
- Use biodegradeable bin bags INSTEAD OF plastic bin bags
- Use dishwasher powder or plastic-free tablets INSTEAD OF plastic-wrapped dishwasher tablets
- You can buy these from Steph’s Sustainable Stuff
- Refill washing up liquid or use a 5L decanter bottle and refill yourself INSTEAD OF continuously buying single-use bottles
- You can buy this from Steph’s Sustainable Stuff or Waste Not Want Not
- Refill hand soap or use a 5L decanter bottle and refill yourself INSTEAD OF continuously buying single-use bottles
- You can buy this from Steph’s Sustainable Stuff or Waste Not Want Not
- Use a solid bar soap INSTEAD OF buying single-use plastic bottle soap
- You can buy this from Elsie Moss Botanical or via Shop Indie
- Refill laundry liquid and fabric conditioner or use a 5L decanter bottle and refill yourself INSTEAD OF continuously buying single-use bottles
- You can buy this from Steph’s Sustainable Stuff or Waste Not Want Not
- Refill multi-surface cleaning liquid INSTEAD OF buying single-use bottles
- You can buy this from Steph’s Sustainable Stuff or Waste Not Want Not
- BAN plastic bottles from being used in the building
- BAN plastic-lined coffee cups from being used in the building
- BAN single-use sugar sachets and INSTEAD store in glass containers
- Use wooden stirrers INSTEAD OF plastic stirrers (these are actually banned in the UK now anyway)
- BAN single-use plastic cutlery from being used in the building and INSTEAD just use metal cutlery
If you’re a community group
- BAN plastic bottles from being brought to group meetings/activities/events
- Consider buying branded washable reusable cups for group members
- Switch to glass tumblers, china mugs, or reusable plastic beakers INSTEAD OF single-use plastic cups
- BAN plastic-lined coffee cups from being brought to group meetings / activities / events
- Consider buying branded washable reusable coffee cups for group members
- Switch to china mugs INSTEAD OF single-use plastic lined disposable coffee cups
- Use wooden stirrers for drinks INSTEAD OF plastic stirrers (these are actually banned in the UK now anyway)
- Buy milk in glass bottles from a milkman INSTEAD OF buying single-use plastic milk bottles
- You can buy this from Goodwin’s Dairy or Needham’s
- Buy fruit juices in glass bottles from a milkman INSTEAD OF buying single-use plastic bottles or tetrapak juice cartons
- You can buy these from Goodwin’s Dairy or Needham’s
- Use metal straws for drinks INSTEAD OF plastic straws (these are actually banned in the UK now anyway)
- Switch to wooden or metal cutlery INSTEAD OF giving out single-use plastic cutlery
- If you give out biscuits at your group, find a way to buy biscuits in bulk with as little plastic as possible (we know this is very difficult as it seems pretty impossible to find biscuits not wrapped in plastic). The alternative may be to just recycle your biscuit wrappers through Terracycle
- If you give out crisps at your group, you could buy plastic-free crisps in bulk from Steph’s Sustainable Stuff, or recycle your crisp packets through Terracycle
- BAN single-use plastic bags and INSTEAD if you’re giving out any bags, make sure these are either reusable cotton tote bags or paper bags. You could even get these branded with your group name too
- Carry out litter picks as an activity for your group
If you organise / run a community event
- BAN plastic bottles from being sold / given out at the event
- Consider buying branded washable reusable cups
- Switch to glass tumblers, china mugs, or reusable plastic beakers INSTEAD OF single-use plastic cups
- Allow and encourage event attendees to bring their own reusable water bottles and provide a free water refill point for attendees to refill when empty
- BAN plastic-lined coffee cups from being sold / given out at the event
- Consider buying branded washable reusable coffee cups
- Switch to china mugs INSTEAD OF single-use plastic lined disposable coffee cups
- Allow and encourage event attendees to bring their own reusable coffee cups
- BAN sugar in sachets from being given out at the event and INSTEAD buy sugar in paper bags
- Serve sugar in glass/china/metal containers INSTEAD OF single-use plastic containers
- Use wooden stirrers for drinks INSTEAD OF plastic stirrers (these are actually banned in the UK now anyway)
- Buy milk in glass bottles from a milkman INSTEAD OF buying single-use plastic milk bottles
- You can buy this from Goodwin’s Dairy or Needham’s
- Serve milk in glass / metal jugs INSTEAD OF buying the single-use plastic milk sachets
- Buy fruit juices in glass bottles from a milkman INSTEAD OF buying single-use plastic bottles or tetrapak juice cartons
- You can buy these from Goodwin’s Dairy or Needham’s
- Sell / give out metal straws for drinks INSTEAD OF plastic straws (these are actually banned in the UK now anyway)
- Switch to giving out wooden or metal cutlery INSTEAD OF single-use plastic cutlery
- Allow and encourage event attendees to bring their own reusable cutlery
- Serve food in cardboard takeaway containers INSTEAD OF single-use plastic lined / polystyrene containers
- Allow and encourage event attendees to bring their own reusable containers
- BAN single-use plastic sauce sachets from being sold / given away at the event and INSTEAD switch to buying sauces in glass jars
- Serve sauces in china/metal containers INSTEAD OF single-use plastic containers
We would love to hear any alternative suggestions you may have. Contact us and let us know.
Good luck in your plastic-free journey. Remember the Plastic Free Pledge is a pledge and change does not come overnight.
Even if you just start with making one change it’s better than nothing and it is the start of your journey to reduce single-use plastics. Once you’ve made one swap then start looking at what your next will be.
Together we can push for a Plastic Free Chesterfield.
Plastic Free Chesterfield 