Help free your community from single-use plastic

The research is clear, plastic damages our health, and the health of our ecosystems. From the deepest ocean trench, to the air we breathe, our planet is drowning in it. As fossil fuel lobbyists help to stall INC-4 talks and there are announcements for ongoing delays to UK plastic reductions policies, it might seem there’s not much we can do.

But change has always been driven by people. When we come together, amazing things happen. Governments listen and laws change. Groups of passionate, caring people have changed the course of history many times.

Action starts local. Change starts with a ripple. Together Plastic Free Communities are making waves, and we are looking for more community leaders to ride with us.

The Plastic Free Communities five-step toolkit kickstarts local action, in an easy-to-follow guide. Surfers Against Sewage provides all the help and support you need to get started.

You will be joining 600+ communities across the UK. It’s a people-powered movement of plastic fighters, with single-minded focus and a distinct voice, taking clear actions to make a difference.

From our shared streets, green spaces and waterways, to the companies, brands and branches of Government with the power to stem the flow, we’re unlocking long lasting ways to change the system and turn the tide. One plastic bottle at a time.

1. Signing up

A community can be anywhere; from cities, towns and villages, to mountains, beaches and islands.

Anyone can be a community leader, you just need to live in or near the community you are signing up. If you are an existing community group, Plastic Free Communities fits into work you are already doing. It’s not about duplicating or taking over work. Just strengthening and amplifying it.

• Create a new community – Check out the communities map. If you don’t see a community in your area, you can create one. (Tip: Start small for more success and impact)
• Lead an existing community – We are looking for new community leaders in some areas – click ‘Find out more’ on the map pin, and if you see Plasticfreecommunities@sas.org.uk email, then give us an email!
• Help a community – If your community already has a leader, click ‘find out more’ to email them to see how you can help. Many of our communities also have social pages and websites where you can get in touch.

2. The five-step toolkit

The toolkit helps you bring your community together to tackle plastic pollution at source. Yes, you get an award, but it’s more than that. The toolkit lays strong and sustainable foundations for a long-term reduction in the availability of single use plastic where you live. It guides you with each step and it’s flexible, as we know every community is different.

You simply link your community up; that’s businesses, schools, your local council and other groups and then work together to reduce plastic use as well as spread the message.

Check out the Toolkit

3. The Award

Once the five initial foundations are in place, we give your community its Plastic Free Communities Award. The award is a recognition of the hard work your whole community has put in to take action on plastic. A big moment of celebration, and the start of an ongoing plastic free journey.

urfer Against Sewage takes your epic local action, brings it together and amplifies it into system change. Our communities are the power behind Surfers Against Sewage national plastic pollution campaigns, which demand change at the top. With Government and Industry. Find out about our current plastic pollution campaigns.

We take your local action from the beach front to the back benches. Together we are powerful, and can create change. Join us today!