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We are drowning in plastic.

From beauty products to grocery bags to water bottles to our daily cup of coffee, plastic is present in every aspect of our lives. Most of these items are designed to be used once and thrown away, usually heading to the landfill.

Some of the plastic that we think can be recycled, like drink lids, straws and utensils, end up in the landfill because they're either too difficult to recycle or there's no market for the end products. Even recyclable plastic such as water bottles are becoming harder to recycle.

The most effective approach to reducing our plastic waste is to REFUSE, REDUCE, and REUSE.

In January 2019, GreenWorks spearheaded the creation of the Plastics Reduction Task Force -- a group of motivated volunteers dedicated to reducing single-use plastic in our environment. 
​
Join the plastic-free movement and break free from the plastic ties that bind us.
Donate now for a plastic-free future
Mind Your Plastic May is meant to encourage and challenge us in our journey to live plastic free. These posts are created by GreenWorks staff, Plastic Reduction Task Force volunteers, and other plastic-free advocates in Buncombe County. If you've found these posts helpful and encouraging, please consider making a donation to support this work. If you have any questions, please email [email protected]
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5 Steps for Ditching Plastic at Work

5/13/2019

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Plastics are everywhere, including all around our workplaces. Workplace plastics come in the form of disposable flatware, excessive wrappings for individual portions, plastics used for grab & go convenience and more. That bottle of water is easy to grab on the way to the meeting.

​If you work in a business or attend a school or university, you’re in a great position to make changes with far-reaching and long-lasting impact simply because of the scale of your organization. So how can you change the plastic culture at your office?


​Think about investing in a set of inexpensive flatware, plates and bowls for use in the kitchen. Are there items in the office that don’t need to be individually wrapped? Perhaps some stock products can be found wrapped in recyclable paper rather than plastic?
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In a blog on Less Plastic in the UK, Amanda Keetly shares tips for going plastic-free in the workplace, referring to what she calls, “The Plastic Game Changer 5 Ps’.”

  1. Picture - Create a shared vision with your colleagues of what reducing plastic in the workplace looks like. You can even invite an expert, like Waste Reduction Partners locally, to help you assess your office’s plastic use or screen a movie. My favorite is inspiring people by doing a clean-up project together. GreenWorks would love to help you organize something to energize your team.
  2. Plot - This could be a job for the office numbers person. Plot your office’s plastic usage. How much are you using each week? What is it costing? How will choosing alternatives change those costs?
  3. Pledge - Make a commitment to reducing plastic and make it public. Encourage your office mates to join you in the Mind Your Plastic May Challenge. Once you’ve made an office-wide commitment, be sure to share in your newsletter and on social media. You’ll be more accountable and your clients will applaud your efforts.
  4. Plan - Encourage creative ideas for reducing plastic from your colleagues and develop a plan to implement them. Be sure to include ways to measure your progress.
  5. Promote - Share your success and inspire others to join you in #goingplasticfree

And, let’s add a sixth P to the list. PARTY! Celebrate being a Plastic Game Changer. This work isn’t easy. Have some plastic-free fun to celebrate your accomplishments.

Danise Hauser
GreenWorks Office Associate

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​Asheville GreenWorks is a 501(c)3 non-profit environmental organization, governed by a Board of Directors. Established in 1973, GreenWorks mission is to inspire, equip and mobilize individuals and communities to take care of the places we love to live.
  • Hard 2 Recycle
  • Programs
    • Bee City USA Asheville >
      • Native Pollinator Plants and Nurseries
      • Pollination Celebration
      • Pollinator Garden Certification
    • Rivers & Roads >
      • Adopt-a-Street
      • Clean Streams Day
      • Cleanup Supply Stations
      • Trash Trout
      • WNC Big Sweep
    • Education
    • Urban Forestry >
      • Adopt-a-Spot
      • Cool Green Asheville
      • Food Tree Project
      • RRI
      • Tree Nursery
      • Treasured Trees >
        • Treasured Trees Calendar
    • Waste Reduction >
      • Asheville Bag Monster
      • Composting Information
      • Flip Your Lid
      • Plastics Reduction Task Force
      • Recycling Information
      • Smash Don't Trash
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer
    • Experiential Internships
    • Youth Environmental Leadership Program >
      • YELP Staff & Alumni
      • How to Apply
    • Make a Donation
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    • Sponsorship
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    • Staff/ Contact
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    • Latest News
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    • Mind Your Plastic May
    • Fall Leaves
  • Donate