Words by Smiley Team
This week, thousands of people across the UK are taking part in the biggest ever investigation into household plastic.
Called the 'The Big Plastic Count' – in collaboration with Greenpeace UK and Everyday Plastic – the campaign aims to collect the evidence needed to push the government, supermarkets and companies to tackle the plastic crisis.
It's estimated that around 170,000 people across the UK are going to get involved – and high-profile names such as Chris Packham and Bonnie Wright are taking part, too.
"With your help, we want to reveal the truth about what actually happens to plastic packaging when it leaves our homes," say the founders of the Big Plastic Count. Campaigners hope the count will push government to reduce single use plastic by 50% by 2025, ban all plastic exports and implement a deposit return scheme for recycling and reuse.
To take part, people will have to record the different types of plastic packaging they waste and submit results.
People need to sign up on the website and use the digital tally sheet provided (or tally online) to start counting how much plastic they use in a week.
"For 7 days, you need to count every single piece of plastic packaging waste that you throw away - that's plastic waste that you put in the bin and plastic you put in the recycling," they say. "Try to count anything you throw away while out of the home too."
At the end of the week, whether you’ve tallied as you’ve gone along, or you’re submitting all your data in at once - head over to the website to submit your results.
"Please don’t forget to do this, as this is crucial," they say. "Without your data, there is no investigation - we need thousands of people to take part to ensure the evidence is as strong as possible. So we really can’t do this without you."
GET INVOLVED: Get started now if you haven't already by signing up on the website.
SUPPORT: Greenpeace UK work to share campaigns and get people involved to change our world for the better. Support them here.
