1. Choose to reuse

Every day, seven-million coffee cups are discarded in the UK and 99% of these end up in our oceans and landfill sites. You can stem the tide by carrying a reusable coffee cup - many chains will even give you a discount for doing your bit.

2. Think when you drink

Plastic straws and stirrers are bad news for our oceans. They take up to 200 years to decompose and are one of the biggest threats to our marine wildlife. There is a simple solution though - next time you order a drink, think and just drink. Opt for a paper straw or, even better, no straw at all.

3. Bring a bottle

Over thirty-five million plastic bottles are used every day in the UK. Much of that plastic ends up on our beaches and in our oceans, with plastic lids being particularly dangerous for birds and marine life. Carrying a reusable bottle is an easy way to help protect nature, and it’s good for your pocket too!

4. Cut your plastic use

On average, we use plastic cutlery for just three minutes before throwing it away. By having reusable cutlery (or any compostable alternatives) to hand, we could each save an estimated 466 items of unnecessary plastic every year.

5. Ditch the clingfilm

Clingfilm can’t be recycled and can take hundreds of years to decompose. So the next time you wrap up some leftovers, consider a reusable container or a recyclable product like aluminum foil.  Beeswax Wraps are also a natural and environmentally-friendly option.

6. Take the strain

Did you know that a cup of tea can actually be bad for the environment? Most tea bags contain microplastics that can end up in our waterways, causing issues for wildlife and ending up back in our own water supplies. More brands are going plastic free but when it comes to your own consumption, you could consider using loose tea with a strainer instead of your usual tea bag.

7. Give up the gum

Rather disturbingly, chewing gum is 80% synthetic plastic. It’s incredibly difficult to dispose of and it’s a huge cause of pollution and threat to wildlife. You can make a positive change by giving up gum and finding a plastic-free alternative.

8. Don’t be a glitter bug

It might seem fun but looks can be deceiving. Glitter isn’t biodegradable; it’s made up of microplastics that pollute our oceans and end up back in our own food chain. To help reduce your impact on the environment, , avoid glitter or search for eco-friendly, biodegradable ranges.

9. Pick your packaging carefully

Well over two million tonnes of plastic packaging enters the consumer market every year. From individually wrapped meal-deal items to fruit and vegetables wrapped in plastic - it’s everywhere you look. There are many steps you can take to lower your plastic usage including choosing loose food, preparing lunches in reusable containers, attending farmers markets or shopping in one of the many plastic-free shops that are opening all over the UK.

10. Carry sustainable shopping bags

There’s been an 85% drop in the use of plastic bags since shops started charging for them. Single-use plastic bags aren’t recyclable and can take decades to decompose. By making sure you have a reusable bag with you, you can significantly reduce your impact (even better, why not buy a reusable bag made from sustainable materials?)