Any one of us can join the campaign against plastics and make a difference in very simple ways:

• refuse a plastic straw with your drink and suggest that the venue switch to paper, as many are already doing;
•  if you are lucky enough to live in an area where you still have traditional shops, take your own biodegradable food bags and containers. A traditional grocer shop will nearly always have paper bags you can use, and re-use;
•  take your own bio-degradable cups to any outlet where they are likely to use non-recyclable cups i.e. coffee shops and cafes;
•  stop buying bottled water. Take your own bottle of tap water - and on that subject, look out for our 'Refill' campaign, which is asking retailers, cafés, etc. to advertise themselves as places where people can refill their water bottles.
•  speak to colleagues about making your place of work plastic-free, so no more plastic cutlery, cups, plates etc.
•  speak to your local shop keepers, supermarkets and so on and ask them to stock products without plastic packaging and alternatives to plastic as this helps them know that consumers demand them.

Pack it in!
Friends of the Earth Cymru have launched an action guide pack for local groups to help in the quest for plastic free communities. Take a look at it here.