{"id":692,"date":"2020-06-26T16:23:12","date_gmt":"2020-06-26T15:23:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/business-school\/?p=692"},"modified":"2020-06-26T16:23:14","modified_gmt":"2020-06-26T15:23:14","slug":"going-plastic-free-getting-crafty-with-your-four-r-pledge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/business-school\/2020\/06\/26\/going-plastic-free-getting-crafty-with-your-four-r-pledge\/","title":{"rendered":"Going plastic-free: Getting crafty with your Four R Pledge"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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By Adrian Tankard<\/strong>
Business School Green Impact team member<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Plastic Pollution Coalition\u2019s<\/em> \u2018Four R Pledge<\/a>\u2019 is a simple commitment that can get those of us who want to go plastic-free, but not sure where to start, heading in the right direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

To refuse, reduce and find reusable alternatives to plastic can become, after some adjustment, easy habits to adopt. However, when it comes to recycling, conventional recycling of plastic can be limited by external factors, depending on what your council is able to collect or what your local recycling centre will accept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Repurpose plastics using your imagination<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Recycling plastic doesn\u2019t always mean you have to rely on other people. It\u2019s something that can be quite easily done at home with just a little time and imagination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The durability of plastic as a base material means that, whilst a plastic products\u2019 original intention might have been to sit on a shelf and periodically house washing detergent, it can be reconfigured for lots of different uses, in all sorts of environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keen plastic recyclers have not only been giving new life to used plastic products but are happy to show off their creativity and ingenuity online. From pencil cases to magazine racks and herb pods, here are a few of our favourite ways people have been taking used plastic and making something new:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Check out these 20 Ways to Reuse and Recycle Plastic Bottles<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Can you do better? If these ideas have inspired you, or you think you\u2019ve already done something better with a plastic item you\u2019ve given a new lease of life to, why not send us a picture and we can show it off for you!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Is becoming plastic-free possible?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Yes, it is! Taking the plunge into a plastic-free existence is achievable. For proof that it\u2019s not only possible, but also fun, follow Beth Terry\u2019s inspiring blog: My Plastic Free Life<\/em><\/a>,<\/em> in which Beth lays out one hundred steps to getting started, including where to find plastic-free chewing gum and recipes for homemade laundry detergent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re looking for inspiration closer to home, then Sussex students can always be relied upon! Product Design graduate Lucy Hughes, won a major national Dyson Award<\/a> last September for MarinaTex, a unique bioplastic alternative to plastic, created by harnessing fish offcuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Product Design graduate Lucy Hughes presents MarinaTex.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One for the pro-recyclers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you are someone who already considers themselves a keen plastic recycle-pro, there is always the possibility to take it one step further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Precious Plastics<\/em><\/a> is the ultimate in recycling plastic, giving individuals the opportunity to join a global community recycling plastic into everyday items such as furniture, jewellery, watches and even construction material. It then enables people to make profit selling their recycled plastic product from its own online platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chair image from: preciousplastic.com\/solutions\/products.html<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Precious Plastics<\/em> process is a huge undertaking, but people can join on either a small or large scale basis. Collecting plastic, chipping, forging and manufacturing is part of the production chain that Precious Plastic<\/em> promotes. The site helps by supplying you with the tools and guidance that you\u2019ll need to take part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

West Pier Drinks, a company founded by three of our Business School students, is using open source plastic recycling technology as part of their product design. They came fourth in this year\u2019s Start-Up Sussex<\/a> awards. Look out for our blog feature on them in mid-July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A simple step in the right direction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Going plastic-free in July doesn\u2019t have to be about making impossible sacrifices. As the \u2018Four R Pledge\u2019 of the Plastic Pollution Coalition<\/em> shows, we can simply stop and think about we change our behaviour; how easy it is to avoid unnecessary plastic in our weekly shopping, and how we can effectively reuse and recycle plastic that we do purchase. You can change, and collectively our small steps will make a big difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read next: Take the Four R Pledge: Your first steps to going plastic-free<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Adrian TankardBusiness School Green Impact team member The Plastic Pollution Coalition\u2019s \u2018Four R Pledge\u2019 is a simple commitment that can get those of us who want to go plastic-free, but not sure where to start, heading in the right…<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more ›<\/a><\/div>\n

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