To gain accreditation we need at least 20 organisations and community groups based in or covering Bookham to get involved in the project by signing the Plastic Free Pledge.
We're delighted to say we've signed up 19 organisations so far. Thank you to St Nicolas Church, The Meeting Place, The Grange (also our first Business Champion), Bookhams Residents' Association, the Bookham Belles WI, Bookham Baptist Church, the Bookham Community Association, South Bookham SPACE, Gt Bookham & Fetcham Pages, Bookham & Horsley Rotary, the Bookham Bees WI, Surrey Climate Commission, Bookham Country Market and Roundabout magazine for joining us on the plastic-free journey. More allies are in the pipeline...
Five local schools and playgroups have also become Community Allies by signing up to the Plastic Free Schools initiative.
Please get in touch if you'd like to get involved and we'll send you a copy of the pledge. See our ideas below for things you could do that would qualify for reducing use of single-use plastic and publicise your support for the project.
You can still sign the pledge even if your organisation already uses less than three items of single-use plastic.
If you're responsible for renting out premises that are used for events
- Buy kitchen and toilet rolls wrapped in paper rather than plastic
- Buy non-plastic cloths, eg cotton or compostable
- Reuse plastic bags to line bins
- Buy soap bars (not wrapped in plastic) or refill handwash bottles from a zero waste shop
- Buy refills for washing-up liquid from a zero waste shop
- Buy biodegrable wipes if used
- Encourage hirers to take steps to reduce single-use plastic such as those below
If you're responsible for providing refreshments at premises, or at group meetings
- Swap to plastic-free teabags
- Replace plastic sachets, including single-servings of coffee, with bottles or jars
- Provide metal or bamboo cutlery, or ask people to bring their own
- Provide china or recyclable paper cups, or ask people to bring a refillable cup
- Replace cling film with greaseproof paper, foil, beeswax wraps or reusable containers
If you're responsible for organising other aspects of events
- Collect plastic bags for reuse on stalls or elsewhere
- Use bunting instead of balloons at events
- If you produce laminated posters, consider alternatives