Harnessing the power of our individual actions.

What difference do individual actions really make?

The reason you are reading this is thanks to individuals. Surfers Against Sewage was set up by individuals just like us, who were fed up of surfing in sewage. They made a stand. And their legacy now unites individuals from the highlands and islands of Scotland to the streets or London. That includes you.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that our individual actions won’t make a tangible difference. Will that one single use coffee cup really matter in the grand scheme of things? The answer to that is yes. The power of individual actions is second to none. When individuals work together our voices are louder and our actions are more powerful.

Here are four ways that you can make your actions count in the plastic crisis.

1. You don’t need to be perfect

It’s only natural to strive for perfection. But in reality, everyone doing their bit imperfectly would be far more powerful than a few people doing it perfectly. So, get started.

Shop with an ‘is this packaging necessary’ attitude, and seek out the places locally that supply free options. Use a reusable water bottle and coffee cup. And look at other areas in your household where you can eliminate unnecessary plastic. Have a spare afternoon coming up? Organise a community clean, register with us and we’ll get the kit to you for free.

Don’t get hung up trying to doing everything. Just do what you can.

Sign up for your Individual Action Plan today.

2. Talk to people.

Your passion will be infectious. Look at all the great activists. From Greta Thunberg’s, who’s work challenges world leaders to take immediate action on climate change. To Ella Daish, founder of #EndPeriodPlastics, who’s campaign is leading to significant changes in the period industry. They are both individuals, leading the charge. And both of their campaigns are magnified by every individual who supports them, shares their views and stands by them.

Add your voice to existing movements and get involved. Talk about what you are doing. Show the people around you how it can be done and they will start to follow suit.

Find your nearest Plastic Free Community and join the local movement.

3. Challenge the System.

Is the way things are the right way, or the only way? If not, ask yourself what you can do to change it. Question the systems around you.

We need business models that are focused on reduction and reuse. Use your consumer power to challenge businesses, supermarkets and the like on their plastic usage. Have conversations with local independent business owners, they can sign up as Business Champions to get support direct from us.

We need to call for legislation that ends the production and consumption of non-essential single use and polluting plastics.  Write to your MP or local council. Ask them to use their voice to call for change further up the chain.

4. Support Campaigns

Every petition that has ever gone through government reached that front desk thanks to each individual who signed it. Every protest that ever happened only happened because of the individuals involved. Keep an ear to the ground and join these powerful grassroots movements.

We know that it works. All of our wins at SAS have been a direct response to the pressure put on government through individual actions taken by volunteers, beach cleaners, communities and activists. From the recent announcement of the legally binding Global Plastics Treaty to the ‘Dirty Dozen’ of plastic pollution being exposed through the Brand Audit. From the research into PPE and Plastic Pollution to the changes made to the Environment Act.

None of these things would have happened without the people on the ground collecting data, signing petitions, sharing stories and calling for change. Check out our work in more detail here.

Individual action is the root of change. You can make a difference.

Sign up for your individual action plan below, and start tackling single use plastic in your day to day, today.

Get your Individual Action Plan.