The sports industry is encouraged to participate in the “kick plastic out of sport” social media campaign to commemorate Plastic Free July (1–31 July).
Over 100 organizations have received campaign toolkits inviting them to spread the word about more eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastic products.
As part of the Interreg Preventing Plastic Pollution project, the Environment Agency’s plastics and sustainability team developed the toolkit.
Integrating a change in positive behavior is the goal. According to experts, single-use items, which are frequently used only a few times before being discarded and may contaminate rivers and oceans and harm wildlife, account for 50% of all plastic produced.
Environment Agency project lead Hannah Amor said:
“Everyone has a part to play in minimising their avoidable plastic consumption and carbon footprint to help conserve the natural world.
“Sport can influence thousands of people that may otherwise not engage with environmental issues. Three billion people watched the Tokyo Olympics. That is a huge platform to showcase sustainability and make it the new norm for people taking part in and watching sport.
“We hope this campaign will encourage people from all walks of life involved in sport to take even the smallest step, like wearing a hydration belt or carrying a resuable cup. Collectively, changing our daily habits can make a huge difference.”
The toolkit consists of twice-weekly posts encouraging deposit return programs, repurposing old clothing, and staying away from single-use plastic waste at celebrations. The posts also encourage people to join the Big Plastic Pledge, a worldwide movement started by Olympic gold medalist Hannah Mills, and provide links to new sustainability guidelines for sporting events, stadiums, and community clubs.
Additionally, the campaign will be promoted on Twitter at @Plastic EU under the Interreg Preventing Plastic Pollution account, with the first post going live on Friday, July 1. (tomorrow).
A worldwide movement called Plastic Free July encourages millions of people to contribute to the fight against plastic pollution. The Plastic Free Foundation, whose mission is to create a world free of plastic waste, launched it.