If you’re concerned about your personal usage of single-use plastic, here’s a campaign for you to jump aboard. Started in 2017, Zero Waste Singapore kicked off a Bring Your Own (BYO) Singapore movement where 430 retail outlets offered incentives to customers who bring their own reusable bags, bottles, or containers. It sparked off-shoots of this campaign with Straw-free Week in 2018 and just recently, Bring Your Own Container Campaign earlier this year.
Although this movement isn’t necessarily new, we want to bring attention to the success that it’s made, with over 2.5million pieces of plastic disposables saved from hitting our landfill. In fact, today there is a plethora of F&B merchants who offer concession discounts on your purchase if you bring your own containers, for example, Keong Saik Bakery offers S$0.50 off if you bring your own container (with a minimum purchase of S$10). In fact, Sarnies is extending a 10% BYO Discount and selling Frank Green cups, as well as offering coffee grounds available for composting upon request, while their kombucha is made with used cold brew coffee grounds. How’s that for planet-friendly?
Did you know that this campaign covers not only F&B outlets but retail spaces as well? These are just some of few more popular shops that support this campaign:
- H&M (S$0.10 charge for each plastic or paper bag at all stores in Singapore. Proceeds collected from the purchase of plastic or paper shopping bags will be donated to WWF Singapore’s PACT initiative)
- Pet Lovers Centre (S$0.10 charge for each biodegradable plastic bag, regardless of size. Recycles carton boxes for delivery and changed product packaging to become more environmentally friendly. Using LED lights in workspaces)
- The Body Shop (S$0.10 charge for bags. Read about their Kick The Bag Campaign)
- T2 Tea (S$1 charge for retail bags. As a B-Corp certified company, their bags are 100% recyclable, made from uncoated paper without any plastic lamination)
Even big-name organisations are taking the lead in going plastic-free, such as:
- Accor Group (Largest hotel operator in Singapore with 15 hotels to date. Straw-free)
- Grand Hyatt (Straw-free)
- Singapore Pools (Replaced disposables cups in office and provided reusable mugs)
- Suntec Singapore (Straw-free)
- Wildlife Reserves Singapore Group (BYO for free refill at the water dispensers. No plastic bags provided, straw-free at F&B outlets. Selling of reusable BYO options and active education on waste to public)
With recent documentaries like Seaspiracy showing on Netflix now, isn’t it time for us to reignite our love for Mother Earth and keep pressing on to reduce the use of single-use plastic? For more information on bakeries and cafes that support the BYO Singapore movement, click here.
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