14 ways to reduce plastic in your unit

We know how passionate our Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers are about looking after our planet, so you may wish to help them go greener in group meetings.

Simple things, such as switching to reusable water bottles and paper straws, is a brilliant start.

But there’s lots of hidden plastics that you might not think about. The good news is that there’s some easy swaps you can make to help reduce the plastic your groups uses.

From craft supplies to tea bags, small changes can make a massive difference without any extra cost or planning. Try these 14 quick changes to help reduce the plastic your group uses:

7. Skip the laminator: print resources onto heavy card instead of laminating them if you can. Heavy card is just as sturdy and can be recycled. If it needs to be waterproof, you could use walking map cases to protect it.
8. Swap acrylic wool and ribbon for cotton yarn or twine: look for 100% cotton yarn or natural jute twine instead of synthetic wool or ribbons.
9. Switch stickers for paper washi tape: standard stickers are backed with a permanent plastic film. Switch to colourful rolls of paper 'washi' tape, which you can tear or cut into your own biodegradable stickers.
10. Opt for loose fruit or bulk biscuits: individual packets create lots of plastic waste. If you can, choose loose bananas or apples, or buy bulk packs of biscuits..
11. Choose foil over cling film: use foil to cover food, as clean foil can be easily scrunched into a ball and recycled.
12. Avoid plastic or disposable table covers: protect tables with old newspapers, flat cardboard, or use old bedsheets and fabric tablecloths that can be washed and reused.
13. Build a unit crockery box: keep reusable cutlery, straws and mugs in a box. You could even buy old mugs from charity shops for bigger events or camps. Washing them saves hundreds of disposable items from landfill, and the mugs are easy to tell apart!
14. Use old adult t-shirts as craft aprons: ask parents, carers, or local charity shops for donations of old adult t-shirts or shirts. Shirts can be worn backwards and large t-shirts can be worn over regular clothes to make brilliant, washable, full-coverage aprons.
15. Keep a uniform swap box: keep a bag or box for outgrown uniforms. Parents and carers can drop off items they no longer need and possibly pick up the next size too.
16. Collect glass jars and yogurt pots: use clean glass jars and yogurt pots for paint. They wash out perfectly and last for years, and heavy jars won't tip over easily on hall tables.
17. Bin paint, don’t wash it away: paint contains liquid plastic. Pour leftovers back into the bottle, let the remainder dry completely on the palette, peel it off and put it in the bin.
18. Switch glitter for paper confetti: glitter is a microplastic. Swap it for biodegradable confetti made from coloured paper or fallen leaves to add some fun to celebrations and crafts.
19. Make reusable water balloons for summer games: plastic balloons leave tiny fragments on the grass. Tie strips of old towels or foam sponges together into a fluffy ball instead using string. They soak up tons of water and can be thrown repeatedly without leaving any tiny bits behind.
20. Choose paper party decorations: stick to classic paper chains, tissue paper pom-poms, and paper bunting that can be folded down, reused, or easily recycled.
21. Opt for plastic-free teabags: look specifically for brands certified as 100% plastic-free or compostable for your tea and coffee breaks.