Reduce your plastic use & create less waste – You’ll find loads of information right here, including where to shop, what you can do & local initiatives you can get involved in. Please get in touch if you have ideas on things to include.
What's NEW
Turn The Tide have just created a fabulous resource for us all to use to find out where we can take items to be recycled locally. Here’s a link to their interactive map & information. If you know of any other items being collected locally, please let them know.
Turn The Tide – Local Recycling
Find Out More
No More Plastic by Martin Dorey
I read this little book in 2018 as I began my own journey to reduce the plastic use in our home. The first changes we made can be credited to Martin’s book. Changing to soap from plastic soap dispensers, using my very last piece of clingfilm & many a 2 minute beach clean that first summer.Website
A Plastic Ocean
A Plastic Ocean – trailer You can enjoy the film in full on Netflix & Amazon. The Producer Jo Ruxton lived in Portishead & I was lucky enough to hear her do a talk locally. She also brought along a jar of plastic rubbish found in the stomach of an albatross – it was a real eye opener & very shocking to see.
Drowning in Plastic
In October 2018 BBC showed this documentary for the first time. It was able to take the message from A Plastic Ocean which was released two years earlier, & get it out to a wider audience. Website
War On Plastic – with Hugh & Anita
June 2019 – it’s time to sit down to watch, learn & be inspired to make more changes in our own lives. This time rather than a one-off documentary, we have a whole series. I actually reached for a box of tissues watching the first episode, I was so upset. Hugh visited an illegal recycling factory in Malaysia, only to find mountains of OUR rubbish just left behind.Website
Useful Facebook groups & pages
North Somerset Reduce, Reuse & Recycle
REDUCE - just borrow what you need
Cake Tins & more – Icing on the Cake
See my Facebook Page or check out my Website for more details
Cake Tins & more – Heaven on the Hill
Books etc – North Somerset Libraries
North Somerset Council provide libraries right across the county. You can borrow books, audio books & dvd’s.Website
Check out these extra services to loan both digital & audio books with your library membership too.Borrow eBooks and eAudiobooks free from your library using the Borrow Box app.Accessing your libraries digital collection has never been easier – Cloud Library app.
Glass Loan & Fish Kettle Loan
If you’re having a big family party or organising a small event, there’s no need to buy boxs of glasses you’ll end up putting in the back of a cupboard, you can hire them here. Website
China, Linen, Glass, & Catering Equipment – Butterflies
No need to buy boxs of stuff which will end up in the back of a cupboard for years, simply loan what you need for your event or party from Butterflies. Website
Tent & Camping Accessories – KC Camping
You can buy cheap tents anywhere, but they all end up in the same place before long, & that’s landfill. Why not simply hire one for your camping adventure. Website
Washable Nappies – North Somerset Nappies
If you’d like to give washable nappies a go, you can loan a nappy kit from North Somerset Nappies to give them a try. Website
Bike Box Hire – Bike Box Online
In my quest to find local places that hire stuff, this is so far the most unusual. Incase you didn’t know (like me), it’s a box you can store your bike in while travelling. You can hire them from various UK locations, but they luckily have a hire hub in Portishead. Website
Loan Bike Scheme – Better By Bike
Borrow a bike for up to a month for FREE. It’s a great way to give it a try before you splash out on a bike. Website
Party plates & cups – High Down Infants PSA
REDUCE - Plastic Free Shopping
A Better Weigh (Clevedon)
What a better way to use less packaging (pardon the pun). Bring along your own containers to be filled up with your weekly essentials. A Better Weigh opened in Clevedon in June 2019 & provides a great way of reducing packaging from your shopping.Facebook
Fill Good Pantry (Portishead)
Fill Good Pantry opened their shop next door to Ebb & Flo just off the High Street in March 2020. As well as the stock of food & plastic free toiletries, they also stock period pants along with other options for plastic free periods.Website
Simply Green Zero Waste (Portishead & Nailsea)
Scoop and Spice (Yatton)
SCOOP & SPICE is a family run business with health food shops in Yatton and Winscombe. They offer a range of natural whole-foods and household cleaning products underpinned with a strong ethos of being healthy, ecological, and Fairtrade wherever possible. When I visited the shop I was told they have been going for 11 years!Facebook – Website
Long Ashton Post Office (Long Ashton)
I’ve been told Long Ashton Post Office has some great products as well as being a refill station for both Ecover & Faith In Nature. When I get time to pop in myself, I’ll find out about everything they offer. Website
The Plastic Free Shop (Online – Bristol based)
Cath is the founder of The Plastic Free Shop, an online store based in Bristol. Her mission is to source ethical and sustainable alternatives to help reduce the amount of plastics in our everyday lives. Cath says the whole experience should be creative and fun – not about going round replacing everything plastic for the sake of it – that would be counter productive. It’s about acting on the intention by making the best choices we can that reflect our budget and lifestyle. Website
Leigh Court Farm
Fruit & veg boxs, dairy, eggs & bread deliver to your door. Many of the vegetables are grown locally too.Website
EBB & FLO
We love Claire’s beautiful shop & we’re pleased to see she’s got the plastic free bug too & is now stocking some great products such as: bamboo toothbrushes; eco cups; natural sponges; soap dishes. She’ll be extending this range, so pop in to see what she has, or ask if there’s something you’d like to see on the shelves.Website
Markets
Friday Market – weekly at The Poacher, Portishead
Saturday Family Market – weekly at The Old Mill, Portishead
Portishead Farmers Market – monthly at Waitrose Piazza, Portishead
REDUCE - Alternatives to Plastic
Portishead Town Council – Allotments
Skip the packaging completely & grow your own. Portishead Town Council manage 4 allotments & rent them to residents of the town. If you can’t get your own allotment, or don’t have enough time to manage one, why not offer to help someone with their allotment. Website
Refill – App
Rather than buy yet another plastic bottle, use your own reusable one. If you’d like a refill at a shop, venue or cafe etc, just pop in & simply ask. If you’re not quite brave enough to ask anywhere at all, or want to be sure of a positive response, then just use this super handy app or look out for these windows stickers. Staff there will be happy to refill your bottle for you. (Recommended by Vicki) Website
Cheeky Wipes
Alternatives to disposables: Wet Wipes, Breast Pads, Sanitary Pads, Make Up Pads & more. Cheeky Wipes was launched in 2007 by a UK mum & you can buy online. (Recommended by Kelly) Website
Beeswax Wraps by Rachael
You’ve had enough of clingfilm & plastic sandwich bags, here’s a great alternative. Facebook Page
Beeswax Wraps by Hives & Herbals
It’s time to ditch the clingfilm & sandwich bags. Hives & Herbals make beautiful beeswax wraps from their own beehives in Bristol. Website
North Somerset Nappies
If you’re looking to try reusable nappies North Somerset Nappies will be happy to help. They can show you different types of reusables, you can borrow a kit & you can find out all about the difference you can make.Website
Gatha – children’s party box
Upcycled Products
Teacup Mosiacs
You have some china you’ll never use, as it’s old fashioned or broken, but it reminds you of someone special & you can’t throw it away. Let Teacup Mosiacs turn it into something you’ll put on display & enjoy every day. They made a beautiful heart from my Nan’s ‘special occasion’ teaset. It was the very last piece we had in the family & was broken in two pieces. It’s now hangs on my bedroom wall. Website
Portishead Seaglass
Beautiful jewellery & charms made from seaglass found on Portishead beaches. Website
REUSE - give to someone else to use
Food Bank
You’ve changed to caffeine free, but still have two jars of your old coffee in the cupboard. You bought that multipack of cereal, only to find it’s not their favourite anymore. You can always use it anyway, but if you think it’s gonna spend any time sitting at the back of your cupboard, why not pass it onto someone who will use it. There are many places you can drop off your donations:Pill Foodbank – donation points at The Salvation Army, Pill Resource Centre & local churches.Clevedon & District Foodbank – many donation points, inc: Waitrose, Portishead. (website not working when I added this, will check when it’s functioning again)
Recycle old glasses
You’ve got your new specs, & what happens to your old ones? Back of the drawer in their case? In the bin? Why not drop them off at a local collection point so they can go on to help someone else. I’ve added the link to Vision Aid Overseas who can reuse them. The other option is to get new lenses put into your old glasses. Your opticion may offer this service, & there are online businesses who can do this for you.Website
Baby Bank Network
The Baby Bank Network do an amazing job collecting & distributing items from families who have things going spare, to families who desperately need them. It’s a good idea to contact them to ask what items they are currently looking for. Website
School Shoes
SoleLution who have a shop both on Portishead High Street & in Clifton, collect used school shoes every year to take to Africa, for other children to wear. The shoes must still be good wearable condition, & the shop assistants can check them for you when you drop them in. Website
Recycle - items to be collected for recycling
North Somerset Council
North Somerset Council provide a wide range of services for both the disposal of general waste & collection of recyclable waste. As there can be changes in both the processes available & the providers of the service, it’s worth keeping an eye on their website to see what & how waste is currently collected & how it actually goes on to get recycled elsewhere.Website
Turn The Tide – Local Recycling Points
Turn the Tide have put together this list of what is currently being collected locally. It has a handy map & list. If you know of other items currently collected, please let them know.Website
Eco Bricks
Ecobricks are a means for individuals to take personal responsibility for their plastic by containing it and turning it into free building materials that can be given back to the local community. Website
Also check out this Bristol Facebook Page Bricking-it
Terracycle
Collection points for various types of packaging which are not widely collected by local authorities. Website
