Plastic Free July

Plastic Free July gave us an opportunity to reflect, connect, and take action toward a more sustainable way of living, both as individuals and as a community across our Society Building workspaces.

Every year, it’s estimated that 350–400 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally, with up to 50% used just once before being discarded. In the UK, only 44.6% of plastic waste even makes it to recycling plants — and not all of it gets successfully recycled. Since plastic doesn’t decompose, it can linger in the environment for thousands of years, harming ecosystems and communities worldwide.

That’s why reducing our reliance on plastic, especially single-use items, is more important than ever.

Here’s how we participated in Plastic Free July across our locations:

Wimbledon

We set up a collaboration board to encourage knowledge-sharing, where team members posted practical tips for reducing plastic waste in everyday life both at home and at work.

Fitzrovia

Our team voted to direct this year’s B1G1 donation to support plastic-related initiatives. Impacts included collecting 10kgs of coastal plastic waste, supporting sea turtle protection for one month and 100 blocks of recycled plastic waste donated to Classroom of Hope. 

Bristol

We circulated a newsletter packed with helpful resources, including case studies, practical advice, educational content, and local opportunities for people to get involved in sustainability and plastic-free living.

Interested in reducing your plastic consumption? Read our spotlight on Going Plastic Free.