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Running a cafe on the edge of the sea can come with its own set of challenges – especially when it comes to managing single-use plastic. With the ocean on its (quite literal) doorstep, the folks at the iconic Jubilee Pool in Penzance are working hard to ensure they’re part of the solution to ocean pollution, and not the problem.

The pool, which was one of the town’s first Plastic Free Champions, has recently re-committed to taking more action on plastic pollution, and has just been awarded a Silver Plastic Free Champion. Proving that there are always opportunities to reduce single-use plastic in new ways.

So, how did they do it?

The pool already had ditched single use plastic items like drinks bottles, plastic bags and food containers and was also part of Refill PZ. Now it is moving away from compostable single use takeaway containers, in this case Vegware. This alternative is often marketed as a ‘sustainable’ alternative for take-away food, but it is total greenwash and is less environmentally-friendly than many of us realise).

They’re also now serving all outside food and drink in enamel or crockery, and use cardboard boxes for poolside takeaways.

The team already accept refill cups, but are looking at bringing in returnable cups for coffee and also borrows our stock of returnable festival cups, so as not to use single use plastic cups at events.

Elsewhere, you’ll find plenty of wooden, recycled and cork products and gifts in the on-site shop. The team are also now putting pressure on suppliers, to ensure stock doesn’t arrive in single-use plastic or unnecessary packaging, either (for example, all cakes delivered to site now come in cardboard boxes).

To secure Silver a business also needs to show how it supports our local Plastic Free PZ campaign, and the Jubilee Pool over the years has been a huge ally. From being the site of our iconic Swimming in Plastic event, to this year offering us a residency to raise awareness which culminated in the Being Plastic projection.

The team is also working with Sustainable PZ on wider moves to lower impact an create new ways of doing business through the Sustainable PZ Business Hub.

While there are still some areas of improvement (which will level them up to gold!), we’re thrilled to see how much the crew are working to make a real difference.

Why does it matter?

For the team at Jubilee Pool, it’s about reducing impact at source. That way, pollution (plastic in this case) doesn’t end up where it’s not supposed to be; in the ocean that is essential to the local eco-system and brings so many visitors to their door.

Team member Kerry says: “I mean, it’s everything, isn’t it? We’re not around forever, but plastic seems to be. So, I think it’s really important that we reduce that in the environment, and especially here.

“Not that I’m saying it’s more important than anywhere else, but whatever we use on site, if it blows away or somebody drops it when they leave site… it’s going to get blown straight into the ocean.

“For us, it’s really key.”

A huge congratulations to the team for hitting this epic milestone, and we’re looking forward to working with you on what comes next.

Want to find out more about how your business can become a Plastic Free Champion and join our Plastic Free Business Directory? Find out everything you need to know by getting in touch with our team.

Penzance has its first new Apothecary in Penwith for 85 years! Helping the community on a journey to a more balanced and natural way of living.

Apothecary Forager, aka Ruth Weaver, is our latest Gold Business Champion and Sustainable PZ hub member.

Medical Herbalist Ruth has a wealth of experience, originally founding the business back in 2012. She now offers consultations, workshops, events and more from the new public facing healthcare space, which opened in December.

Six months on … what is it really like to run an apothecary with a nature based, restorative ethos? We caught up with Ruth to find out more.

Sourcing herbs ethically

The growing popularity of herbal supplements, particularly since the Covid pandemic, has brought both opportunities and challenges. As people look to build their health resilience, not just treat symptoms, there’s a growing pressure on the industry to source more plants than ever.

“And then you imagine, where do these herbs come from?” Ruth says. “How are they sourced? Who harvests them, and how well are they grown? Are they being consciously collected in a way that respects the fact that these plants quite often are wild crafted, so taken from the wild and all the ecosystems that depend on those plants?”

Because many medicinal herbs are harvested from natural ecosystems, unsustainable harvesting practices can damage biodiversity and threaten vulnerable species. In fact, Ruth says one in seven medicinal plants are now endangered.

The key is simple. “We must realise that healing our bodies is not different from healing the planet,” she says.

That’s why, where possible, Ruth sources herbs from organic growers and suppliers who prioritise environmental stewardship, particularly those part of the FairWild certification system, which promotes ethical harvesting and cultivation practices while protecting wild plant populations and the communities who depend on them.

What’s more, herbs grown in this way are often of higher medicinal quality too, producing richer concentrations of beneficial compounds.

Ruth also notes that while she enjoys foraging locally, due to living in a small community, she’s also thoughtful about where she does it and how often she does it to ensure minimal impact on local biodiversity and wildlife.

A different vision of community healthcare

As interest grows, Ruth is also looking to the future of what herbal medicine could look like in our wider communities.

“I believe that there should be a herbalist in every home and a medical herbalist or more medical herbalists in every community, every town,” she says. “People being empowered with the knowledge and how to support their own health at home using local native, really abundant medicinal plants that are just growing around us – in fact, we’re often weeding them out of our gardens!

“That, for me, is a really sustainable route because it sustains our health naturally, and it’s resilient in terms of being able to actually support ourselves away from the petrochemical industry of medicine.”

And while Ruth’s not telling people to come off of their medicines, she explains that for simple, basic home family conditions, herbal medicines really have a lot of capacity.

In this way, we can reduce dependence on resource-intensive systems by building local capacity, rather than relying entirely on distant institutions.

Reducing single-use plastics

Ruth’s ethical ethos is visible throughout the shop, too.

Glass bottles, glass jars and reusable containers have been chosen wherever possible, pretty much everywhere in fact. Suppliers are carefully selected based not only on the quality of their herbs but also on their packaging practices. She’s not scared to challenge them, either.

Where unavoidable, packaging materials are reused whenever they arrive, and any plastic film is collected and recycled.

“As a local business, it gives you the option to choose what you stock. So, you’re not part of a big chain or a supermarket where you’re being sent stuff. You can actually choose to lower your impact in terms of what you leave behind as well,” Ruth says.

Today, the business is continually moving towards suppliers who can provide products entirely in glass packaging, without compromising herb quality.

Local education and skill-building

Another key mission for Ruth is to inform and upskill the community – to help them understand the plants themselves and what they can do.

“There’s so many things that are good for you,” she says, “But I actually like giving people that experience of really engaging one plant and connecting with the sensory information.”

Over time, people can then build a ‘tool box’ of understanding, by joining workshops and learning more about each plant over time.

Ruth adds: “It’s actually empowering people with that health autonomy that basically they can actually enhance their health using things that grow around them that are abundant.”

It’s how she started, too, inspired by the skills she knows we will likely all need in the future. “This is not just giving people supplements, like turmeric for joints. We’re talking about real medicine that’s created and personalised for people, and I wanted to learn those skills.

“With climate change and food system pressures, I just thought that’s going to be relevant and that’s what we need.”

A healthier, self-powered Penzance

As we look for practical ways to live more ethically, in balance with the planet’s resources, and less dependent on systems that often feel beyond our control; businesses like Apothecary Forager are the alternatives we need in our back pocket. And those that will build resilience, future-proofing and innovating to ensure we are a thriving community for generations to come.

By teaching people how to understand, identify and use medicinal plants responsibly, and providing access in a sustainable way, Ruth is helping to rebuild skills that have connected humans to nature for thousands of years.

A small but powerful example of what our future could look like, where natural health is rooted in community.

To find out more about Apothecary Forager, follow the Instagram page, or head to the website here.

Here in Penzance, we’re proud of the positive, practical action our community takes to tackle plastic pollution. From refilling and reusing, to supporting our brilliant local plastic-free champions, we know that community action works.

But we also know it’s not quite enough – and plastic pollution is not all our fault, either. That’s why we’re joining Surfers Against Sewage’s (SAS) Return To Offender campaign, a national action calling for system change around plastic pollution, so we can turn off the tap for good.

The reality of plastic pollution

Every year, SAS publishes its Brand Audit Report, analysing the hundreds of thousands of pieces of plastic pollution collected by volunteers across the UK on Million Mile Cleans. And, with this, they highlight the top plastic polluting brands.

In 2025, the report found just 12 global companies accounted for 65% of the branded waste collected from beaches, rivers, parks and streets.

And it’s not that surprising. SAS’s investigations show that, despite putting in place voluntary targets and sharing bold statements about sustainability, these corporations have shown no intention of making actual change. In fact, Coca Cola, 2025’s biggest polluter, has increased virgin plastic use by 10% – even after pledging to eliminate 3.3 million tons of the material “derived from non-renewable sources” from its supply chain by 2025.

The reality of this type of greenwashing is broken promises, missed targets and active moves to block policy change; the type of change that could have a real impact on how plastic is fed to consumers, and how pollution turns up in the environment.

No, it’s not all our fault!

The plastic pollution we see blowing through our streets or washing up on our beaches is not down to people who “litter”. The term was in fact coined by plastic producers decades ago, to help shift focus onto individual behaviour, rather than corporate production. Making consumers and ‘thoughtless litterbugs’ the villains of the story.

Yes, a small minority of people might actively litter (and yes, we know they shouldn’t) But the real issue starts much higher up.

So, when we look at plastic pollution in our community, it helps to understand the journey plastic takes. If we look upstream, the chain goes something like this:

• Fossil fuel extraction (Big Oil) which is how plastic is made. One in ten barrels of oil is made into plastic, fuelling the climate crisis and lining billionaire pockets
• Packaging producers and major brands who manufacture and distribute single use plastic-wrapped products
• Retailers and supermarkets who sell and promote single use plastic at scale
• Consumers who are left to purchase, manage and dispose of single use plastic packaging

For years, the responsibility has landed squarely at the end of that chain – on us. But we aren’t living through a plastic crisis because communities suddenly became careless. It’s actually the insane volume of single-use plastic being pushed into the market.

Pair that with families trying to battle cost of living, time pressures, and the ever-inviting colourful packaging and marketing (that often promises so much more than it is), plastic becomes an inevitable part of the shopping basket.

Once purchased, these products are designed to be discarded. They aren’t built for durability, repair or refill. And when billions of disposable items are pumped into circulation, some will inevitably become pollution, regardless of how responsible most of us try to be.

Finally, with poor waste management set-ups that are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of single-use plastic being produced, the situation becomes even worse.

Coming full circle

Every time we trace the problem back, we return to the same place: overproduction.

There will always be a limit to what a community can achieve if the tap is still running at full force, and we cannot out-clean, out-inform, out-refill or out-volunteer a multi-billion pound industry, that is increasing production while resisting regulation.

That’s why legislation matters, and why SAS is calling for government to move beyond voluntary agreements and start holding polluters to account.

Now, here’s where we can get involved…

What Is Return To Offender?

Return To Offender is a direct, evidence-based action that’s shifting the spotlight back where it belongs – on the producers.

All you need to do is find and photograph branded plastic pollution in the environment, share it on social media and tag the brand responsible. It’s that simple.

Your posts (and all the other content generated throughout the duration of the campaign) will be collated by SAS and taken straight to the UK Government, to demonstrate the widespread public mandate for legislative change.

Whether you’re on a dog walk, a surf, commuting to work or doing a clean, it all counts.

You can find out more about the campaign here.

Image: Andy Hughes

Penzance’s iconic Jubilee Pool was brought to life in a whole new way over the weekend. A one-off screening of ‘Being Plastic’ – a contemporary art film by Cornwall-based artist Andy Hughes – was projected straight onto the art deco pool.

Held in conjunction with Plastic Free Penzance, this projection explored the surreal intersection of marine life, human industry, and the plastic crisis. How can we look at plastic in a different way? And how can that help us tackle the rising tide of plastic pollution?

With almost 100 people on the night (and absolutely perfect conditions – no wind, no rain and starry skies!), we couldn’t have asked for a better evening for it.

Rachel Yates, from Plastic Free Penzance, says: “It was a bit of a leap of faith. We didn’t know how it was going to work, because no-one has ever done it before. So, in itself it was a work of live performance art. Nobody really knew what was going to happen when the film was projected, and whether it would work projected on the water or on the walls … or neither! In the end, it was a stunning result.”

The film itself is a mesmerising video loop, born from Hughes’ residency on Gapado Island, South Korea. Inspired by the eerie, high-intensity glow of offshore squid-fishing boats, Hughes captures how these artificial lights “reverse” the natural world. Tricking the sea into reflecting light, from its depths. He then re-imagined this world through the eyes of the cephalopod, the inside of a plastic beer bottle, and a molten sunset seen through a special edition Ecover Bio-mimicry Ocean Plastic Bottle. All culminating in the ‘living’ video, ‘Being Plastic’.

The projection was preceded by a talk by Rachel, who gave a brief history of Plastic Free Penzance, our work around plastic pollution locally and how it taps into national and global system change that we need to see. Including our approach to tackling plastic locally, through positive action and creative campaigning.

Andy then did a talk around his own work, how the film came about and how he was viewing plastic pollution, as well as the incredible soundtrack on the film (with includes sounds of the sun and a deep sea glacial movement called ‘The Bloop’ recorded by NASA) followed by an initial indoor screening of the film before the main projection.

Images: Andy Hughes & Rachel Yates

Community art and action

The event was part of our three-month residency at the Jubilee Pool, which started back in January.  We collaborated with Andy on a series of workshops with the public to raise awareness of plastic pollution and explore creative responses to it.

Attendees worked with Andy to create their own photographic pieces of art, looking at items of plastic pollution, their colour and texture. They then took photos to create pieces of art which went into our ‘Transparent Tide’ exhibition (currently up at Jubilee Pool Café).

Alongside this, we hung works by Captain Banplastic, the anti-plastics superhero working alongside schools to raise awareness, with kids having the chance to make their own superhero masks as part of the series of events.

Andy also placed two of his own resin sphere artworks outside the pool that people could interact with (and take their own photos through) during the exhibition, too.

Image: Andy Hughes

And if you haven’t had a chance to see any of it yet…

Before our residency finishes at the end of April, we’re hosting one last workshop on 11^th April, where we’ll explore how to be plastic-free in Penzance. It’s totally free to attend, and is an interactive session all about helping our community be part of the solution to the plastic crisis, and what it really means to be ‘plastic-free’.

And finally…

A huge thank you to every person who donated their time and energy to make the event happen; including Andy, the projection team and the sound company. Ticket sales went solely towards covering tech costs and the hire of the pool. A total community effort, with community benefit!

Next Saturday (21st March), the iconic Jubilee Pool will be transformed into a canvas of light and reflection for a one-off screening of ‘Being Plastic’, a contemporary art film by Cornwall-based artist Andy Hughes. Held in conjunction with Plastic Free Penzance, this spectacular projection explores the surreal intersection of marine life, human industry, and the plastic crisis. How can we look at plastic in a different way? And how can that help us tackle the rising tide of plastic pollution?

The evening pairs the film projection with Transparent Tide, a collaborative celebration of local environmental activism. Transparent Tide is an art project created with the Penzance community, transforming local plastic waste into delicate photographic media. Highlighting both the beauty and the fragility of our coastal ecosystems. Artwork from special guest Captain Ban Plastic will also be on display.

“The intensity of these luminous displays generates an eerie, surreal glow… it creates the illusion plastic might be alive!” — Andy Hughes, Artist

From South Korea to Cornwall

The special centrepiece of the evening, Being Plastic, is a mesmerising video loop born from Hughes’ residency on Gapado Island, South Korea. Inspired by the eerie, high-intensity glow of offshore squid-fishing boats, Hughes captures how these artificial lights “reverse” the natural world—tricking the sea into reflecting light from its depths.

Using this visual vocabulary of mirroring and shimmering, Hughes reimagines the world through the eyes of the cephalopod, the inside of a plastic beer bottle, and a molten sunset seen through a special edition Ecover Bio-mimicry Ocean Plastic Bottle. By transforming discarded plastic waste, still and moving image footage into “living” video sculptures, Hughes breathes vitality into “lifeless” materials, creating a visual trickery that parallels the very fishing lights that lure sea life to the surface.

The film will be followed by a talk and Q&A with Andy and Rachel Yates, community lead at Plastic Free Penzance and also Plastic Pollution Campaigns Manager at Surfers Against Sewage. Both with a history of working on plastic pollution, from raising the alarm through photography in the 90s, to spearheading community responses and national campaigns to tackle the rising tide of pollution.

“Plastic has made its way into the deepest part of the ocean, the highest mountain, the air we breathe, the soil we grow in, the food we eat. It’s in our bodies, with research only now just starting to show its effects on human health. Yet plastic production rates soar.

“Plastic entering the ocean looks set to triple by 2040 without concerted effort. By looking at plastic in a different way, and understanding why oil companies and brands are forcing production on us, helps us as communities be part of the solution” Rachel Yates, Plastic Free Penzance

The Transparent Tides exhibition has been live at the Jubilee Pool since February, bringing together artistic and community responses to plastic pollution in the town. A workshop was held to create art for the exhibition and more follow; including a Captain Ban Plastic mask-making workshop and a session on how as individuals and households we can be part of the local plastic free community.

“We are excited to be able to help raise awareness of ocean plastic pollution with our local community, using our iconic lido as an amazing backdrop for the film, the art exhibition, the light installation, and the workshops” COO Giles Gould, Jubilee Pool

You can get more information on:

Captain Ban Plastic Mask Making >> https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1982501390025?aff=oddtdtcreator

Being Plastic Film Night >> Being Plastic Film Night with Q&A Tickets, Saturday, Mar 21 from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | Eventbrite

Hundreds of people from Penzance and beyond banded together at the weekend to stand up against plastic pollution. A perfect example of people-led action, with a clear call to decision makers and polluters. And follow up actions we can all take in all aspects of our lives to make a difference on every level.

Didn’t make it, but wondering what it was all about? Read on…

Penzance’s human chain

Part of The People vs Plastic campaign by UK charity Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), Saturday’s human chain saw 500 people joining together to protect the ocean from plastic pollution along Penzance Promenade.

The aim? To take a stand against the plastic polluters and call for immediate action to turn the tide on plastic. To end the consumer blame game, and make the profiteering polluters accountable.

If you haven’t heard of it yet, The People vs Plastic is SAS’s biggest plastic pollution campaign yet. Our event in Penzance, led by SAS’s first ever Plastic Free Community, Plastic Free Penzance, was the charity’s biggest protest as part of a national day of action.

Stretching across the promenade, our protesters shouted chants calling for an end to plastic pollution, and were then invited to join a follow-on campaign to demand immediate action with a Global Plastics Treaty – by signing a petition by SAS. You can sign it, too – right here!

We’ll be sharing more on this campaign, soon.

What happens next

Impactful change doesn’t happen from nothing. It starts at home, with us. But the next step is challenging the people in power to do their bit.

Plastic Free PZ has been working for eight years now to reduce single-use plastic, and we’ve seen some massive successes. But, ultimately, we need producers and brands to stop producing single-use plastic and pumping it out onto communities.

We need decision-makers to enable a system that stops production of single-use plastic and creates a circular economy. So, now that we’ve shown the strength of feeling in the community, we’re going to be taking that community voice to power.

Rachel Yates, from Plastic Free Penzance, says: “It was amazing to see so many people from the Penzance community come out and show the strength of feeling there is around single-use plastic in the town.

“We will be represented at the Global Plastics Treaty through Surfers Against Sewage, and we will be continuing to campaign to call on the UK decision-makers to stand up for a cleaner future.”

Part of this action is inviting our communities to sign the petition (so, don’t forget to do it before you go!).

Can I find out more about People vs Plastic?

SAS’s People vs Plastic campaign is calling on the UK Government to step up and sort this mess out. The next step in that is an ambitious Global Plastic Treaty.

We are demanding full commitment to changing the law to bring about a circular economy and hold polluters to account – without any more delay. You can read more about People vs Plastic here.

There will be a host of actions and events we can take part in as a community for the rest of the year and beyond. Sign up to our newsletter to get all the info each month.

Take action at home

We can all take action right now. Head to www.plasticfreepz.co.uk to get more info on how you can reduce your plastic impact through individual actions, shopping with the towns hundreds of Plastic Free Champions and supporting reuse and refill projects.

To follow Plastic Free Penzance on socials, head to Instagram or Facebook, where you can find day-to-day tips on how to reduce plastic use, as well as how we are doing it within our own community. You can also find our regular updates on the Sustainable PZ pages, too (head here for Instagram and Facebook)

We’ll be sharing links to local and national campaigns as always, where you can supersize your actions to bring about national change.

Thanks again for the amazing support for the Plastic Free Penzance Human Chain on Sat 19^th July. We showed that we are still here. We still don’t want single use plastic. And we are still actively working to get rid of it in our community.

Images: Mike Newtown

We’re drowning in plastic and it’s time to take action! That’s we’re creating a human chain in Penzance, to protect the ocean from plastic pollution.

Part of The People vs Plastic campaign by UK charity Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), the event on Saturday, 19^th July will need an estimated 500 people to gather on our historic Penzance Promenade.

The aim? To take a stand against the plastic polluters and call for immediate action to turn the tide on plastic.

Plastic Free Penzance (SAS’s first ever Plastic Free Community!) will be linking with the charity for their HQ-led event. From midday, they will gather volunteers to run the chain from Wherrytown Skate Park to the Jubilee Pool, as part of a national day of action.

Why we’re doing it

The People vs Plastic campaign is about holding the real culprits to account – taking on the profiteering polluters and broken systems keeping us trapped in plastic. It’s SAS’s biggest campaign yet to end this crisis.

And it’s only right that the Day of Action is marked here in West Cornwall! Penzance was the first Plastic Free Community and has a history of brilliant community moments. So, let’s make another one…

How can you can get involved

To get involved and be part of this epic community action and help us create a human chain in Penzance, you need to register here and the team will send everything you need to know.

Our event details are as follows:

Event Date: 19^th July 2025
Time: 12pm – 2.30pm

Location: Wherrytown Car park end of Penzance Promenade

Tegen-Mor Tossell, from Plastic Free Penzance, says: “We’re all joining hands to physically show that we’re protecting the sea that surrounds our community. While as a town we have been making a stand by reducing single-use plastic, producers and brands are still pumping out products we just don’t want.

“Please come along and help us send a message that as a community we are doing our best to protect the ocean, and now it’s time producers and big business did the same.”

What is People vs Plastic?

People vs Plastic is SAS’s biggest plastics campaign yet, calling on the UK Government to step up and sort this mess out with an ambitious Global Plastic Treaty.

It’s demanding full commitment to changing the law to bring about a circular economy and hold polluters to account – without any more delay.

You can read more about People vs Plastic, and find out about other protests happening on the same day across the UK, here.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook or Instagram for latest updates about this upcoming event. We look forward to seeing you there!

 

Looking for ways to tackle eco-anxiety? Here are five ways we’re trying to change our negative feelings into positive action.

The world can feel a scary place right now. There are big changes happening globally, and there’s lots of talk about the damaging impacts big decisions could make if they remain unchecked.

If you’re feeling the pressure, you’re not alone. Eco-anxiety – fear over what’s happening to our environment – is a growing issue. As climate crisis, pollution, and biodiversity loss make headlines, it’s not hard to find ourselves feeling overwhelmed, helpless, and even paralysed by the enormity of things that might seem beyond our control.

It’s a totally valid feeling, the key is to make sure it doesn’t dominate our mental and emotional well-being.

So, to help us get to grips with it a bit more, we’ve pulled together some ideas that could work with five ways to tackle eco-anxiety, and transform fear into positive action.

1. Accept the feelings – and get researching

Feeling anxious about feeling anxious is a vicious cycle – and one that will have us falling down the rabbit hole pretty quick.

So, instead of trying to push our feelings to the side, allowing ourselves to feel them can really help. What we’re worried about isn’t irrational, it’s a genuine crisis, and we’re not being pathetic or silly when we admit we’re worried.

Finding others who have similar concerns, whether by joining online forums, local groups, or reaching out to our friends can be really helpful. Support in numbers can make a huge difference.

Above all, educating ourselves will take the edge off. Yes, there are lots of sensational news stories about alarming statistics, but there is some incredible work going on out there as well that will inspire hope and show the path forward (check out accounts like Positive News UK and Sam Bentley on Instagram for the good stuff happening in the world).

2. Take meaningful action

One of the best ways to tackle eco-anxiety is to take action – and yes, individual efforts do count!

Every small step we take ourselves builds to collective action that can drive significant change. Whether it’s incorporating planet-friendly habits into our daily routine (such as reducing waste, conserving energy, and supporting local, ethical businesses), or joining a local conservation groups to make changes on a local level, there’s find plenty to tuck into once we start digging.

Don’t forget, our voice is also a vital tool for systemic change. Get involved with environmental organisations, sign petitions, vote for eco-conscious policies, and encourage your community to prioritise sustainability in local mandates to help make positive change at decision-making levels. It’s about building a sense of agency through real action, rather than allowing ourselves to feel helpless.

3. Connect with nature

Numerous studies have proven spending time in nature reduces stress, even if it’s just a 20-minute walk. It’s a powerful way to reduce anxiety and restore a sense of connection to the world around us.

Whether it’s hiking, gardening, or simply sitting in a park, immersing ourselves in natural spaces can help reduce cortisol levels, improve mood, and increase a sense of wellbeing.

If you want a double hit of dopamine, activities like tree planting, river cleanups, or volunteering with wildlife preservation projects can help you get outside with nature while making a positive difference at the same time.

4. Practice mindfulness and self-care

Eco-anxiety, on top of regular daily stresses, can quickly lead to burnout. That’s why it’s essential to make mental and emotional health a priority.

There are some great mindfulness techniques to try at home (like meditation, deep breathing, or writing a gratitude journal), as well as setting boundaries.

Boundaries can include limiting time spent doom-scrolling on social media, spending less time on news websites, or entering too many long debates with opposing thinkers when it becomes overwhelming. While keeping up with the news and challenging views is important, balance is key.

Good ways to take a break from it all are to do more of the hobbies we enjoy (like nature photography or crafting), engaging in daily exercise, and spending more time with the people we love.

5. Foster a vision of positivity for a bright future

It’s easy to dwell on the worst-case scenario – we’ve all been there! But this one is all about re-training our mindset.

By shifting focus to solutions and progress, we can feel incredibly empowered about the way communities worldwide are making significant strides in sustainability, renewable energy, and conservation. Even in a world that seemed stacked against the odds, success stories prove that even a bad policy won’t hold people back.

If we surround ourselves with like-minded individuals who are committed to environmental action (you can find them by joining climate groups, attending local eco-friendly events, and engaging in community-driven projects) we’ll quickly find a sense of unity and purpose.

Here at Sustainable PZ, we’re all about that positive energy – so, why not get involved and help us make a difference? You can read more about how to get involved, and start taking positive action, right here.

This week marks the beginning of final talks on a Global Plastics Treaty – it’s the last, critical round of UN talks on the first treaty of its kind to end plastic waste. But what is it and why does it matter?

What is the Global Plastics Treaty?

The Global Plastics Treaty, officially known as the ‘International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution’, is a proposed international agreement aimed at addressing the environmental and health crises caused by plastic pollution.

Guided by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) and developed under the UN’s Environment programme (UNEP), the plan is to create a legally-binding initiative that sees countries around the world commit to curbing plastic pollution and its impact on our health and environment.

Key features include addressing the full lifecycle approach, from production and design to consumption and waste management, while encouraging cross-border cooperation and shared technology to tackle the issue.

The treaty was officially announced in March 2022, with 175 nations endorsing a landmark resolution to tackle the problem once and for all, and saw the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) tasked with drafting the treaty by the end of 2024. This week, the talks come to a head in Busan, South Korea, where the final version of the treaty is set to be agreed by 1^st December.

But why is the Global Plastics Treaty so important?

Today, more than 400million tonnes of plastic is produced annually, and around 11million tonnes ends up in our oceans every year. Without intervention, it’s predicted this could triple by 2040, causing a detrimental impact on our marine ecosystems and wildlife.

However, it’s not just our wild animals and wild spaces affected by the problem. The impact on humans is alarming, with microplastics now found in food, water, and even air. They have also been found in human placenta, blood, and breastmilk, while the production and disposal of plastics release toxic chemicals and greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change and respiratory diseases.

The damage caused plastic production and pollution globally incurs billions of pounds annually. Meanwhile, developing countries often bear the brunt of the plastic waste, with much of it being exported from wealthier nations. 

This is where the treaty comes into play – by attempting to build a unified, global framework to address the problem head-on, and ensure collective accountability.

Will it work?

The Global Plastics Treaty is seen as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address one of the most pressing environmental issues facing the planet.

That’s why environmental charities and organisations around the world are calling for meaningful action over empty promises, and a global cap on plastic production.

From limiting plastic production and use, to holding polluting companies accountable and demanding full transparency on the industry, it’s an opportunity to significantly curb plastic pollution and its far-reaching consequences.

However, with 99% of plastic production derived from fossil fuels, countries with large fossil fuel and chemical industries face losing profits under strict rules. And with rising numbers of pro-plastic lobbyists forming an increasing presence at UN talks, communities most impacted by the plastic crisis are struggling to have their voices heard.

The key to success will be coming to a realistic agreement to curb the production of plastic, and create a more circular industry that reduces and reuses plastic waste more effectively.

What can I do to make a difference?

While the talks are set to come to an end this week, there is still time to have your voice heard. You can email or call your MP to make your concerns known, or sign a petition with the many organisations calling for real change (including the Greenpeace petition, which you can sign right here).

Here in Penzance, you can take local action with Plastic Free Penzance, who work with the likes of environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage to link into national campaigns (such as limiting single-use plastics) to help bring about system change nationally, as well as locally.

You can also check out some of their local initiatives to help reduce your own plastic use, such as PackSwap PZ and Refill PZ, which each aim to encourage behaviour change at town community level.

However you decide to get involved, by joining the call and demanding an ambitious and strong global plastics treaty that will limit plastic production and use, we can ensure a cleaner, safer future for generations to come.

Wondering what is greenwashing, and how can we avoid it?

In a world where we urgently need change, it’s somewhat comforting to see major brands putting the development of environmentally-friendly products and initiatives at the top of the agenda.

And, with an estimated 80% of today’s shoppers happy to pay higher prices for products and services that claim to be more sustainable, it’s a positive mindset that we absolutely encourage. After all, changing our buying behaviour is one part of creating a better future.

Sometimes, though, what’s being advertised isn’t as sustainable as we think, leading to us well-meaning customers being ‘greenwashed’. It’s a cross-industry issue, from plastics, to fashion and food, and not always easy to avoid.

So, what is ‘greenwashing’?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, to greenwash is ‘to make people believe that your company is doing more to protect the environment than it really is’.

Sadly, it’s an issue we’ve seen time and time again.

Greenwashing isn’t always easy to spot (which is kind of the point). It’s largely focused on helping companies hit the bare minimum while making a good name for themselves through effective marketing.

In real life, it could be something as small as your supposedly compostable plastic cup. While you may think it’s a huge step-up from your everyday single-use plastic, most of these biodegradable products can only be composted at specialist facilities, which are not readily available across the whole of the UK (read all about that here).

In a similar vein, it could be the ‘plant-based’ ready-meal you bought, packed with highly-processed ingredients and some which cause similar land-use and resource issues to large-scale animal farming. And of course, a plastic packaging issue.

Greenwashing can also happen on a much, much larger (and more public) scale, too.

Take, for example, the Paris Olympics. It was touted as the ‘greenest’ Olympics yet, setting an example for future events to follow with its green initiatives. From repurposing athlete’s apartments into public housing post-event, to constructing temporary buildings with lower carbon footprints, it was ready to set the example for years to come.

However, the nature of these events is that thousands of people still jet in from cities all over the world to compete and watch, with few able to take more sustainable travel options. Combined with the committee’s partnership with Coca Cola, the world’s biggest plastic polluter, and suddenly it seems a lot less sustainable than we thought.

So, how do you sort sustainability fact from fiction?

How to spot greenwashing

The devil is, as they say, in the detail. When being sold products or services claiming to benefit the environment, it’s always worth looking beyond the label and doing your research.

From vague ‘green’ language (don’t forget, words like ‘eco-friendly’ and ‘natural’ have no legal definition), to nature-inspired images, there are numerous tricks companies can use to hide the real facts.

You can also find information on websites like Greenwash.com, where they do the hard work for you by unveiling some of the underhanded tactics used by big brands to trick people into purchase. Check out Ethical Consumer too – the bible for many an environmentalist.

How can I take action from home?

The truth is, we can’t simply swap our way out of the problem.

While alternatives can be part of the solution, it often means (as in the case of compostable cups) we are more likely to swap one problem for another, simply to maintain lifestyles and business profits that aren’t sustainable for the planet anymore.

That’s why we need to ask ourselves; how is this alternative better, what impact does it have and do we need to change how we do things instead?

Here are six ways you can get one step ahead, and make a real difference:

• Refill and Reuse

Whether you’re grabbing your morning coffee from the local café or picking up a takeaway lunch on the beach, taking re-usable cups, cutlery and food tubs is a great way to reduce impact without the sacrifice.

• Experiment with food

Changing our diet can be a game-changer. Reduce meat and fish consumption and, if possible, go vegan. We don’t mean plastic-packed, processed vegan. Think healthy wholefoods, locally-sourced fruit and veg and exciting new dishes. There are plenty of recipes online and in local bookshops to help.

• Shop secondhand

The most sustainable thing we can do for our wardrobes is buy second-hand at local charity shops. Be mindful of vague messaging from ‘eco fashion’ brands (that jumper made from recycled bottles might not be as green as you think), and remember there’s nothing more eco-friendly than using again!

• Transport

There are a number of ways we can all reduce our individual car use, whether it’s with a lift share, riding our own or a Beryl bike to work, walking to meet friends, or taking a bus or train for those longer journeys. Which means we leave car travel for those who really do need to use their car for mobility or accessibility reasons.

• Effective energy

Working to move away from fossil fuels is key, and we can do little things to reduce how much energy we’re using from the comfort of home, too. Unplugging appliances that aren’t in use, keeping lights off in the day and pulling on the layers instead of putting on the heating are just a few small places to start.

• Support local initiatives

We have more say in local decision-making than we think. So, get behind local initiatives based on solutions to help make a real difference. Whether it’s sustainable travel, protecting our green spaces, or supporting local food production, we can all create the kind of future we need together.

Get more tips from our Action Plans here.

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