On 3rd October, around 23 local businesses came together for a meeting of environmentally conscious minds and to share and discuss the ways they can, and are, taking great steps to reduce single-use plastic across the borough, as part of our #PlasticFreeMerton campaign.
The event was hosted in partnership with Merton Chamber of Commerce at the award-winning Lu-Ma Cafe - one of our brilliant Business Champions, who themselves have made small changes to reduce unnecessary plastic waste - actions that add up to big results when we work together!
Another of our Business Champions - John Merriman, Co-Director of Crown Lane Studio, spoke about the changes the studio has made to become more sustainable and eliminate single-use plastics, as far as they can. One of these being to ditch plastic cups for reusable water bottles made by Retap.
“Each lid is a different colour so musicians know which is theirs, and the bottles are aesthetically beautiful and feel great to drink from.”
Crown Lane Studio keep their environmental goals and inspiring efforts to a minimum on their website, letting the messages around the building spark a face-to-face conversation, to get people thinking about how they can make a difference too.
We were proud to have some of our Community Champions - local residents who want to make a positive difference in their communities, share their own plastic-free journeys with our guests. The very stories that have the power to inspire and mobilise residents, and businesses alike, to join the fight against plastic pollution.
“So far, our plastic free journey has been good fun; and we are learning new skills as we go. We’re not perfect - nobody is - but we can all try and do our bit. Whether it’s buying loose veg or trying to grow your own, it all makes a difference!”
Alice, Community Champion
We were also delighted to welcome local Assembly Member, Leonie Cooper, who reinforced the message that plastic waste generated in Merton can have a devastating impact on the local environment, and more widely on the world’s oceans.
But we can make a difference! Ms Cooper spoke about the range of environmentally friendly options that can be used by businesses in the food and hospitality industries, such discounts for customers with refillable cups, clearly marked bins to separate different materials for easy recycling, and bamboo, paper and cardboard alternatives to plastic cutlery.
“It was great to engage with so many local businesses who have taken the pledge to try and ditch single-use plastics. The meeting highlighted the real appetite in the Merton community to clean up our local area and minimise our impact on the wider environment.”
Leonie Cooper AM
Leonie also highlighted the new Refill London initiative, which Wimbledon-based Peacock & Co Solicitors have recently signed up to:
“we have signed up both our Wimbledon and Epsom offices to an App called Refill. This is basically a map of businesses that allow you to come in to fill up your water bottle. Most of them are Wetherspoons and Costas, but we thought why not have a solicitors firm.”
Katherine Carroll, Peacock & Co
Be part of the solution!
This event showcased the positive change that is happening in the borough but we want even more local businesses to join the fight for a #PlasticFreeMerton and make difference by becoming Business Champions.
Contact us today to find out more about the campaign and what you and your business can do to reduce single-use plastics in Merton! - e: info@sustainablemerton.org