If you get your milk delivered by the milkman you may have seen this image of the 5 Rs.
REFUSE to buy unnecessary items.
We are a society of consumers. Even in lockdown we were still shopping, with delivery drivers on the roads for long hours at a time, and not always essentials and grocery deliveries. In the UK, revenue in the e-commerce market is projected to reach £80,678 million in 2021 according to Statista. Revenue is expected to show an annual growth rate of 3.5%, resulting in a projected market volume of £92,464 million by 2025. Online sales in 2020 accounted for more than 30% of total retail sales, whereas in 2019 it was just 21.8%. Amazon is one of the biggest beneficiaries of this Online surge, adding an extra £2billion in UK sales.
What do we not need?
REDUCE the amount of plastic we use.
When you start to look at it, we use plastic in so many ways. There have been families who have tried to live without any plastic, and it is remarkably difficult to do. However we can all make a conscious effort to reduce our use.
Another REDUCE is our carbon footprint. Walking or cycling is a healthier way to get around, where we are able. Reducing the number of trips we make to the shops, online meetings rather than travelling are other ways.
REUSE rather than throw away.
Not only milk bottles, but coffee cups. There are various outlets where reuse becomes refill, rather than throw away. Ask around if you don’t already do so and see if there is one near you.
RECYCLE your waste correctly.
One thing we learnt at our recent Circuit Service was about recycling blister packs. Having mentioned this locally I discovered that the Co-Op, Superdrug Pharmacies are part of the scheme. Does your blue bin have more in it than your black bin? What other recycling schemes do you know about?
ROT
Did you know that tea bags contain microplastics? How about having a log pile outside that attracts beetles and other insects?
Prayer: Creator God, for so long we have consumed and discarded. Help us think about what we use and to care more about the earth’s resources, using and reusing, sparingly and wisely. AMEN