HOUSEBUILDER Allison Homes is sharing its top tips on how to reduce plastic waste to celebrate Plastic Free July.

Plastic Free July is an event run by Plastic Free Foundation, that helps millions of people become part of the solution to plastic pollution in order to create cleaner streets, oceans, and communities.

Throughout the month, Allison Homes, with centres in Somerton and Langport, has been running a plastic bag exchange at its sites in Somerset, where members of the public brought their plastic bags into Allison Homes’ marketing suites for the housebuilder to recycle, and got a free, reusable tote bag in return.

So far around 300 plastic bags have been recycled as part of the scheme.

Samantha Hart, Sales and Marketing director at Allison Homes, said: “At Allison Homes, we care deeply about the environment and strive to have a positive impact in all that we do.

“We are delighted to have been inviting locals to trade in their plastic bags, and to be encouraging residents to go plastic free.

“We hope that sharing these tips can continue our mission of being environmentally friendly, and give people the tools they need to make positive changes to help the planet.”

Here are some tips shared by the housebuilder: Bulk buy food and household goods Your weekly food shop can create a lot of plastic waste, as many of the items on offer come in plastic packaging. A great way to cut down on plastic is to shop at bulk food stores. Buying larger items less frequently reduces the amount of overall waste, and bulk food stores also tend to have paper bags, or allow you to bring your own containers to fill with what you need.

Upgrade your morning coffee A coffee to go is a regular treat for many people, especially those too busy to sit in, but throwing away all those cups can create a lot of waste. Instead, invest in a travel mug and bring it with you when you pop in for your cappuccino. Most coffee shops are perfectly happy to put your drink in a reusable cup, and some even offer small rewards such as discounts for doing so. Switch to reusable toiletries Disposable products such as razors, shampoo bottles and handwash are prone to creating a lot of waste. Luckily, more sustainable options exist for most toiletries. Safety razors, which are made of stainless steel and have replaceable blades, create much less waste and while they are more expensive on first purchase, they will save you money over time. Shampoo bars are an excellent option to avoid throwing away bottles, and many brands offer refill packs for hand soap meaning that you can keep using the same pump bottle.

Bring your old bags for all your shopping Re-using old plastic bags or investing in canvas or tote bags is an excellent way to reduce plastic waste. Whilst many people try to do this for food shopping, it is important to do so for all the things you buy, whether that be clothes, books, games or any item you need when you’re out and about.

Buy less overall One of the harder but more impactful ways you can reduce plastic waste is to consume less overall. Try to be mindful about new purchases and evaluate how essential they are. When you really do need new items, buying second hand is a great option that can cut down on emissions, while also eliminating the plastic packaging that items ordered online are often packed in.

Allison Homes is providing a range of properties for local homebuyers in Somerset. For more information, visit the website.

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