For Lent this year I have pledged to give up buying and drinking from plastic bottles. I’m joining a group of Conservative MPs who have agreed to take part in different challenges to cut down on plastics during the 40 days in the run up to Easter in order to raise awareness about the difficulties consumers face in going plastic free in everyday life. This includes the Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Michael Gove, the Business Secretary, Greg Clark, two former environment secretaries and 11 other government ministers.
So for my part, I have promised not to buy or drink water from plastic bottles. In fact, I am determined that this commitment will go beyond Lent and will be for ever. We will all do our bit to highlight how damaging plastic can be for our environment and by cutting down on single-use plastics. I am sure it is not going to be easy as we have all become accustomed to using plastic every day without always thinking about the consequences.
The campaign was launched after the Government unveiled its 25 year plan for improving the environment last month, outlining the ways in which government will work with communities and businesses to leave the environment in a better state for future generations. At the launch, the Prime Minister spoke of one of the great environmental scourges of our time, as single-use plastics can end up being ingested by dozens of species of marine wildlife and polluting our rivers, seas and oceans, one million birds, and more than 100,000 other sea mammals and turtles die every year from eating and getting tangled in plastic waste.
After the 40 day challenge, we will be inviting plastics manufacturers and businesses to discuss their experiences and see if more can be done to reduce our reliance on plastic.