Plastic Free Westward Ho!

Nearly 10 million tonnes of plastic marine litter enter the world’s oceans every year. 80% of this plastic pollution comes from land-based sources with the main contributors being larger plastic household items like drinks bottles and plastic packaging. It is predicted that without significant action by 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish.

Many residents and businesses in Westward Ho! recognised the need for change.

In March 2018, Westward Ho! was awarded Plastic Free Community status by Surfers Against Sewage. The accreditation, part of the national Plastic Free Communities campaign, shows that businesses, schools, councils and community groups have all pledged to reduce their use of single-use plastics.

When visiting Westward Ho! you will notice many shops, cafes, takeaways, restaurants and bars now offer compostable or paper straws, compostable not polystyrene takeaway packaging and compostable takeaway coffee cups or will offer to fill your reusable cup. Our local businesses care about the ocean and the challenge plastic pollution presents. Many display their Plastic Free Champion certificate with pride and rightly so!

If you are visiting Westward Ho! please remember:

• REDUCE, REUSE & RECYCLE: Make sure you recycle during your stay to avoid plastic ending up in landfill.

• SAY NO TO PLASTIC BAGS: Never leave your holiday accommodation without your reusable shopping bag.

• DON’T BUY PLASTIC BOTTLED WATER: We think our North Devon water tastes great! Bring your own reusable bottle to refill when you are out and about. Look out for the REFILL logo.

• DON’T BE A MUG: Carry your own reusable coffee mug. Some cafes will offer a discount if you bring your own.

• PLASTIC STRAWS SUCK: You won’t find any in Westward Ho! but when you get home remember this message, “Used for five minutes but stays in the ground for hundreds of years.”  

• REMEMBER THE 4 P’s: Pee, poo, puke and paper is all we want flushed down our toilets. Please dispose of your cotton buds, wipes and sanitary products in bins.

• #2MINUTEBEACHCLEAN: If you fancy a cheeky beach clean, we have our own beach clean board with bags and litter pickers located outside Kite & Surf on the Green. Please put the collected litter in one of the many public general waste bins.

• SUPPORT OUR PLASTIC FREE CHAMPIONS: Many local businesses are committed to becoming single-use plastic free where possible. Look out for the Plastic Free Communities logo and certificates when you are out and about.

If you are interested in taking this message home and starting a Plastic Free campaign in your community, visit

www.plasticfree.org.uk

.

Remember if we all make small changes; big things can happen!

In the autumn of 2017, Surfers Against Sewage launched their campaign against single use plastic called Plastic Free Coastlines. Last March, Westward Ho! was awarded Plastic Free Community status by Surfers Against Sewage. This week, I caught up with Andrew Cross, Surfers Against Sewage Community Leader for Westward Ho! and lead for the Westward Ho! Business Association to ask him how the campaign was going in Westward Ho!.

Peter Sawyer: What is the Plastic Free Communities campaign all about?

Andrew Cross: It’s about bringing together communities, residents, councils, schools and businesses, to reduce their usage of single-use plastics. We are recognising there is a plastic pollution problem and, as a community we are working to reduce this problem.

Peter Sawyer: How big is this problem?

Andrew Cross: Globally, millions of tonnes of plastics end up in the oceans each year accounting for over 80% of all marine litter. In the UK it is estimated we use a staggering 38.5 million single use plastic bottles per day, 2.5 billion single use coffee cups and 8.5 billion straws annually. A horrendous proportion of these items are not recycled or reclaimed. If they are not disposed of responsibly they will end up in our waterways and oceans. The 2018 Big Spring Beach Clean saw volunteers remove over 63 million tonnes of plastic from 575 UK beaches. The problem is big but individual communities are fighting back.

Peter Sawyer: Does picking up a single piece of plastic on the beach really help?

Andrew Cross: Yes. Beyond the obvious fact that a piece of plastic has been removed from our beach, it often encourages other like-minded individuals to do the same or for some to maybe think twice before leaving their litter behind and not taking it home. In Westward Ho! we have regular organised beach cleans by Beach Care and Surfers Against Sewage. Dates and times are advertised on social media or you can visit North Devon AONB web site for details of beach cleans in the area. We have a #2minutebeachclean board, with bags and litter pickers, outside Kite & Surf on Westward Ho! green. Every piece of plastic removed from our beach will not re-enter the ocean.

Peter Sawyer: What does the Plastic Free Communities award mean for Westward Ho!?

Andrew Cross: The award shows visitors to this village that the community cares about the coastline we live on and is taking steps to ensure that coastline is protected for the future generations to enjoy. Westward Ho! has a blue flag beach, accessible and extensive rock pools, considered by many to be the best along the North Devon coast, easy access to Northam Burrows, a United Nations Biosphere Reserve, and, of course, a wide selection of coastal sports like surfing and paddle boarding are available to all. Why wouldn’t we want to look after it? Being a Plastic Free Community sends a powerful message to those visiting Westward Ho! that we care about this village, the coastline and the ocean we live beside.  

Peter Sawyer: Does Plastic Free mean no more buckets and spades?

Andrew Cross: No. The Plastic Free Communities campaign targets avoidable single use, oil-based plastic items like plastic bottles, plastic coffee cups and plastic bags. SAS beach cleans alone removed nearly 29,000 plastic bottles from our coastline in 2017. 2.5bn plastic cups are thrown away every year in the UK. And the news is constantly reporting the dangers of plastic bags to marine life. Each of us can reduce the number of single use items that could be littered by using products, such as a reusable coffee cup, bottle or bag, that can be used over and over again.

Peter Sawyer: What differences will visitors see in the village?

Andrew Cross: Visitors enjoying the extensive selection of food and drink on offer around the village will see a huge reduction in single use plastic. Straws, coffee cups, takeaway containers and smoothie cups that are made from plants not plastic are used by businesses throughout the village. Many of the businesses who have received the Surfers Against Sewage Plastic Free Champion award display their certificate with pride. If you cannot see it on display, just ask!

Peter Sawyer: If I am visiting or on holiday in Westward Ho!, can I get involved?

Andrew Cross: Yes. Everyone can contribute. Picking up some beach litter if you see some. Bring your own reusable bottle, cup or bag. Shop around for fruit, veg, meat or fish that is not wrapped in plastic. If it is, maybe bring your own container and tell the shop you do not want their unnecessary packaging. Choose a Plastic Free Champion when spending your hard-earned cash. And when you go home, tell your friends and family what an awesome job Westward Ho! is doing and maybe they will make a few changes too!  

If you want to find out how you can help stop ocean plastic pollution, please visit

https://www.sas.org.uk/individual-action/

Without people like Andrew the world would be a much worse place for us all to live in. We are lucky in Westward Ho! to have a team of Wombles that want to keep the village plus Ocean clean and tidy and willing to go above and beyond.  Hopefully Andrew has inspired you all just to make one small change, if we all make one small change?
Well done to ALL of you behind the scenes doing beach cleans, recycling and helping to educate others.

Remember to keep an eye on the "What's on" section of this site to see the dates for the next organised beach cleans...Come on down and join in.