A few years ago our then 16 year old daughter returned from a trip to Borneo with an extraordinary tale of waste and pollution.
She had spent a solid week on the white sandy beaches of Mantanani island, collecting rubbish that had washed up on the shore.
Day after day her group (in between the fun of learning to scuba dive) set out with enormous nets to comb the beaches.
After a few short hours they returned to base laden with hundreds of discarded plastic bottles.
These bottles were put to good use, recycled into building materials to make a reception area for the island’s tourist camp, but the amount she and her fellow campers collected each day was truly shocking.
The passion for water in plastic bottles is a recent phenomenon. Pork Belly and I are part of a generation used to buying drinks in glass bottles, many with a returnable deposit.
Things weren’t perfect but you could usually find a functioning water fountain when you were out and about.
And anyway, who heard of being so thirsty that you had to have constant access to water when racing around on your bike?
Did we live in the Dark Ages? Or are we viewing the past through rose-tinted spectacles? Possibly, yes and we’re certainly not holier-than-thou.
Why recycle?
We can’t ignore the fact that the massive environmental cost of all those plastic bottles is building a whole heap of trouble for us and future generations.
Of course people don’t change overnight but there is a campaign called Refill, headed by Bristol based City to Sea charity. They want to reduce the number of plastic water bottles by providing free access to fresh drinking water.
Single use plastic bottles are expensive to produce, use up valuable natural resources and they create mountains of waste.
Even with doorstep recycling Refill estimates around 800 bottles A MINUTE end up in UK landfill sites or are dropped as litter.
The effect on our land, our seas and the life in them is ever growing.
Ditching single use plastic bottles
Launched in 2015 there are now more than 200 outlets in Bristol providing water refills free of charge and the movement is spreading to towns and cities across the country.
One of the most recent schemes is Refill Brighton & Hove – a collaboration between the national Refill network, a team of dedicated volunteers, and local charity Brighton Peace and Environment Centre.
They work in partnership with local businesses and environmental organisations to encourage people to reduce their plastic consumption and save money by refilling.
They want to prevent unsightly rubbish, particularly on our beaches and to improve health in a fun and sociable way.
How does Refill work?
It’s very simple. Businesses, often cafés and restaurant owners, agree to provide free of charge, access to mains tap water for anyone who comes along and asks to fill up their bottle.
These locations are loaded onto a free app, available for iPhone and android, which you can use to find the nearest place for a refill.
It’s the sort of thing many places already do but, as volunteer Mala explains, having stickers and an app makes it easier.
“For some reason we, particularly the British, get embarrassed if we have to ask. Businesses who sign up display a sticker which means people can be confident they can ask for water and not be turned away. Or they can use the app to find a nearby Refill Station.”
Refill supporters
Foodshed were among the first to sign up.
Abby is a member of the co-operative which runs the store in the Open Market. “The whole philosophy behind Foodshed is reducing waste. Our customers know they can bring their own containers and refill them at our store.”
“As soon as we heard about Refill it made sense to team up. The more people who come together to raise awareness the better. And it was so simple to get involved.”
The scheme in Brighton is slowly growing outwards from the city centre.
Rasheed, another volunteer, says they couldn’t have done it without the national network and the Brighton Peace and Environment Centre who’ve provided practical support and advice.
“We’re hoping to employ some staff soon so we can expand but we’ve managed very well so far with the help of committed local businesses and volunteers acting as ambassadors for the scheme.”
People like Susie at Sew Fabulous, a community interest company which teaches people to sew and be creative. She also joined the scheme straight away.
She doesn’t expect to be overwhelmed by demand but wanted to show her support.
“I feel really strongly about plastic waste. I have my own water bottle which I carry every day and when I saw what Refill were doing I wanted to get involved. It’s about normalising it. We really should have public water available everywhere.”
And it couldn’t be easier. Just carry your own, refillable bottle and when you’re nearly empty, check the app and drop in for a top-up. You can even register to get rewards. Gather enough and you get a small gift, a little incentive to think twice about plastic.
More information about Refill
The Refill app is available from Google Play or download on the App Store
For a full list of places taking part in the scheme visit Refill’s UK website
Businesses: Want to sign up to be a Refill Station in Brighton and Hove? Email refillbrighton@bpec.org for more details
Individuals: Interested in helping out? Email refillvols@bpec.org
Where to next?
• Eastern State Penitentiary – if walls could talk
• Island Life – Isle of Man
• Treasure Hunting in Brighton