Welcome to the first Sustainability Notts column; a rundown of information to empower you boggers to live a more sustainable life in our happy city of Nottingham and beyond...
What does sustainability mean? In simple terms, it means putting our environment back in the mix, keeping it intact and ticking along quite nicely, for the benefit of us and our future kin.
Let’s start with one of the “hottest” environmental topics of our times; not the heatwave, but plastic pollution. Thanks to Sir Saint David Attenborough et al., we’ve seen the damage plastic can do our environment, animals, and even us.
What we gonna do about it? Well, Plastic Free July, of course.
First of all, you can start with what you know you can do, making sure you plan ahead, so you’re more likely to be successful. For example, you can make some simple swaps for single-use items like plastic bags, water bottles, straws and coffee cups. It’s arguably one of the biggest impacts you can have.
In a quick trip to some of Nottingham’s independent coffee shops, we found some that’d love you to use your own cup when you take away a drink. The following places do a crackin’ deal:
- Specialty Coffee Shop gives you 10p off with your own cup
- Cartwheel Café sell reusable cups
- Divine Coffee House gives you 25p off with your own cup
Also, check out the website Ecocuppa for local coffee shops that give 50p off. And if you’ve got a reusable water bottle, you can get a top-up where you see the “Nottingham Refills Here” stickers. Try Wired Café Bar for a start.
Another thing you can try this month, and beyond, is plogging. “You what?” I hear you cry. All of us will have witnessed plastic pollution first hand on our very streets, so how about jogging while picking up plastic rubbish? Hence, plogging. Just make sure you wear gloves or use a litter picker to stay safe.
You could try your hand with Notts Women Runners. Or maybe a good old-fashioned litter pick is more your scene? Head out on your own, or join an organised litter pick by checking out Litter Pickers Nottingham or Nottingham Clean Champions.
That’s all for this month, but keep your eyes peeled for the next Sustainability Notts article in August.
July Litter Pick with Gedling Climate Change Group on Tuesday 17 July at 6pm, meeting at Coop Car Park on Victoria Street in Netherfield.
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