Astonishingly, Every Day Plastic has found 295 billion pieces of plastic are thrown away in the UK every year. To put this into perspective, if we put this waste into a single heap it would be as tall as the Shard! 

In a lockdown survey in 2020 involving 178 households, Every Day Plastic found that 68% of the plastics thrown away were used for packaging, wrapping and consuming food and drink. So what we choose to buy in the supermarkets and how we store this at home can have a big impact on our total household waste.

1. Choose loose produce or grow your own.
   Think also about options for milk - can you get this in a reusable glass bottle rather than buying the single use plastic cartons?
    
2. Make your own! 
   Why buy packaged biscuits when you can keep busy baking during lockdown? You could also try making your own soap bars instead of buying hand wash, or solid shampoo and conditioner bars to avoid using bottles.
    
3. Forward planning. 
   Take a reusable shopping bag with you to the shop and carry your own reusable coffee cup. Use or try crafting your own sustainable cutlery too, such as sporks.
    
4. Say no to cling film. 
   Try using alternatives such as bees wax or plant based wraps instead, which can be bought or made, or reuse an existing container in your home.
    
5. If you have pets, try buying food in recyclable tins or trays rather than plastic pouches.
    
6. Recycle! 
   For items not recycled in your usual kerbside recycling, such as crisp packets and dental products, check out Terracycle for local recycling schemes and make a note of local drop-off points - you will be surprised at how much more you could save from going to landfill this way!