According to the statics, the UK and the US take the lead in the ranking of plastic waste produced per capita! Therefore, “how to eliminate plastic products” has become a significant issue for the former under the pressure of the plastic reduction trend.

Actions from the British Royal Family

Queen Elizabeth II revealed the determination of the royal family to take environmental issues seriously after watching a natural documentary, “Blue Planet II” on the subject of marine life produced by David Attenborough, an English biologist and author, in 2017. By the following year, the royal family announced that they would gradually ban the usage of disposable plastic straws and bottles in the royal estate in the near future. This statement is regarded as a paradigm of plastic reduction for the UK.

25-year project of a plastic-free country from the government

In 2015, the UK government first enabled the charging regulation for plastic bags, then submitted the “25 Year Environment Plan” in 2018 to expect that they can eradicate the evitable plastic waste and transform the UK into a plastic-free country after 2042. In the meantime, the government also released The Last Straw Campaign Movement in the same year to remind people that a handy plastic straw could be the last straw for marine life threatened by plastic pollution. After the said Movement, the UK has banned the offering of single-use straws, stirrers, and other plastic products since June 2022.

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The participation of enterprises and people: Power from a cup of coffee

Before the British government released the related legislation, many enterprises responded to environmental threats with practical actions. Take Costa Coffee, the most prominent British chain of coffee shops, as an example: they announced that plastic straws would be replaced by eco-friendly materials in all its branches. Furthermore, Costa Coffee will also produce takeaway cups with renewable plant fiber in 2018. These changes mitigate the damage to our Blue Marble by each fiber cup of coffee.

The above actions show Britain is making a better world by gathering people's efforts!