The 25-year environmental blueprint was released in 2018, with the latest aspect, targeting schools, being announced recently by Education Secretary, Damian Hinds.
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Key aims
The key aims of the plan include using and managing land in a sustainable manner, helping nature to recover; making sure our seas are clean, healthy and biologically diverse; enhancing the beauty of landscapes; and helping people to connect with the environment to improve their health and wellbeing.
The plan's goals also include increasing resource efficiency and reducing waste and pollution. All of these measures are a means of protecting and improving our global environment. It's described as a "national plan of action" by Environment Secretary, the Rt Hon Michael Gove MP.
The plan was drawn up amid growing concerns that the environment was being severely affected as a result of people's failure to properly dispose of plastic.
Effects of plastic waste
In particular, our oceans have been described as "a sea of plastic", with carelessly-discarded plastic bags, bottles and food wrappers causing a pollution crisis.
Marine creatures such as seabirds, fish, whales, dolphins and other wildlife are dying after ingesting waste, as an astounding 12 million tonnes of plastic rubbish ends up in our oceans every year.
Scientists estimate around 100,000 marine creatures and an additional one million seabirds die annually due to having become entangled in plastic bags, or the packaging from cans of drink. As a plastic grocery bag can take between 10 and 100 years to disintegrate fully, the same bag can kill many animals during its lifecycle.
Schools' green scheme
Now the 25-year green plan is aiming to turn the tide of plastic waste and give the earth a chance to recover from years of human carelessness. The schools’ challenge is viewed as a way of educating the next generation about the importance of disposing of plastic waste properly and the dangers it can cause for our planet.
Mr Hinds has called on schools across the UK to stop using single-use plastic items including drinking straws, plastic bags, food packaging and bottles, in favour of sustainable items. He is also urging them to educate students on the dangers to wildlife and the environment of carelessly-discarded plastics.
He says the UK is committed to being a "global leader" in tackling plastic pollution and has urged other schools to follow the example set by Georgeham Primary School in Devon - the first UK school to be 100% free of single-use plastics.
Targets
In order to achieve this status, which was awarded by the environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage, Georgeham Primary has made a number of changes in the pupils' day-to-day life. SAS has recognised that the school has met several key targets.
These included carrying out an initial plastic audit and removing at least three single-use plastic items throughout the school. They have got rid of plastic in the school’s supply chain and have also replaced single-use plastic with recyclable alternatives.
Staff at Georgeham School realised one of the biggest sources of single-use plastic was the straws and packaging of the cartons of milk given to the reception pupils. They agreed a new deal with its suppliers to have all of the milk delivered in recyclable containers. Pupils now drink from washable beakers, rather than plastic cartons.
The school's head, Julian Thomas, said they were "thrilled" that the Education Secretary was advising all schools to become single-use plastic-free by 2022. He said all the pupils had been enthusiastic in helping the school to reduce its use of plastic, so he was confident other students across the UK would feel the same way.
Mr Thomas said the changes were "relatively minor" (such as replacing cling film with foil in the canteen), yet they had enabled the school to "significantly reduce" its use of plastics.
The government has published full details of its 25 Year Environment Plan on its website and hopes the nation will get behind the important initiative.
Plastic recycling
Solent Plastics recognises the importance of caring for the environment, making it a key consideration in our products. As a responsible supplier of plastic containers, we promote recycled plastics to help ensure the future sustainability of our planet.
Our Euronorm ECO recycled plastic Euro containers are available in all sizes, at cost-effective prices, for industrial, commercial and domestic use.
We also stock a wide range of recycling waste bins to help businesses, schools and other organisations to manage their own recycling initiatives.
Give us a call on 01794 514478 to find out more.