Ditch the plastic

Plastic may not be inherently ‘bad’: it is lightweight, inexpensive, easily recyclable and has had a positive impact on many areas of our development over the last century. However, poorly disposed of plastic, or the relentless leaching of microplastics through their use, has had a catastrophic impact on our planet’s wildlife, animals and our own health too. Moving to plastic-free won’t be easy, but it is possible: and it may often save you money too! St Albans District has lots of places that you can start, including our wonderful markets and businesses, our public water taps and our allotments and gardens too. Read on for inspiration, advice and some first-person accounts too.

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Plastic Free in St Albans, Harpenden and the Villages

• Our Sustainability Market regularly hosts a range of traders offering plastic free alternatives including bathroom and kitchen solutions.
• Box Local is a produce delivery service offering fresh, local and seasonal produce.
• Earthworks manages 3.5 acres of eco-gardens, teaching skills to people with learning disabilities and selling seasonal, local produce from their venue in Highfields and at regular markets.
• Eat Whole Foods is a shop and market stall holder in St Albans offering pantry staples, household goods and refills.
• Lussmans is an award-winning sustainable fish and grill restaurant and food shop offering ready-to-cook meals, fresh veg, fish, cheese and essential pantry items.
• Plot 31 is a community garden and social enterprise offering seasonal and sustainable flowers, raising money for community projects.
• The Refill Pantry a whole foods, single-use-plastic-free shop in St Albans. Check out their blog post here.
• Refill St Albans encourages you to refill your water bottle while out and about. Download the app for an on-the-go map of where to get tap water refills.
• WUKA is a St Albans-based business providing eco-friendly period pants to help reduce single-use plastics in traditional period products.

Have we missed a plastic-free gem? Let us know and we’ll update our listings here.

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The Story of Plastic film takes a sweeping look at the man-made crisis of plastic pollution and the worldwide effect it has on the health of our planet and the people who inhabit it. The film illustrates the ongoing catastrophe: fields full of garbage, veritable mountains of trash, rivers and seas clogged with waste, and skies choked with the poisonous emissions from plastic production and processing.

We held two screenings of the film in May and July 2020.

Watch the 45 minute post-film panel discussion from May 2020 with Daisy Cooper MP, Amanda Yorwerth from St Albans Friends of the Earth, Jeremy Silverstone from Greenpeace St Albans, and Gail Jackson from Sustainable St Albans.

See the list of resources and Zoom chat from the second showing in July 2020.

For more information and key action points on how to #breakfreefromplastic see:

• www.storyofplastic.org
• Action Guide
• FAQs & Myths
• Research Guide

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Educational resources