There’s no denying the COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on all our lives throughout 2020, particularly when it came to our shopping habits and attitudes towards sustainable packaging. Whether it was buying more groceries in pre-packaged plastic wrapping or forgetting to recycle the cardboard packaging from your online delivery, you are not alone if you committed a few sustainability sins this year.
In fact, Beyond the Box research found that a whopping 53% of Brits knowingly threw away sustainable packaging that could be recycled. So, as Covid-19 restrictions are set to continue in 2021, take a read of the eco-friendly resolutions to adopt in the New Year to ensure next year is your most sustainable yet!
Speak up, speak out
Discussions around the environment and sustainable packaging can seem daunting and you might think that your voice and opinion will not matter or be heard…but don’t write yourself off too soon.
With more than half of shoppers now making purchasing decisions based on how sustainable their favourite products are, British consumers, yield a lot of power – and this is causing the Government and brands to take notice.
In 2021, why not get in touch with the manufacturers of your go-to products to tell them you’re interested in seeing them use more recyclable and renewable packaging – like cardboard – to package their products? Making them aware of customer demand is likely to bring about positive change.
Make the ‘conscious’ move to shop online
One in five (20%) Brits placed more online shopping orders as a result of lockdown in 2020. With many meal kits and online goodies being delivered in cardboard packaging it’s more important than ever that households work together to recycle the sustainable packaging used to keep online purchases safe.
With more time spent at home, many of us are likely to use popular takeaway apps more frequently in order to enjoy our favourite foods throughout the year. Pizza-lovers, in particular, should grab a slice of the (recycling) action by remembering to remove all loose food items and toss pizza crusts in the bin before putting the remainder of the cardboard pizza box in the recycling bin.
Reuse and educate
Sustainable packaging, such as cardboard, can be used to create amazing art projects or even decrease stress in the classroom for kids.
What’s more, engaging with and recycling cardboard can teach the whole family important lessons about sustainability. In 2021, why not join the 21% of parents who say they have reused excess packaging around the house, in order to keep the kids entertained – if you’re looking for inspiration, be sure to check out Pinterest or popular Instagram pages such as @recycleandplay