Plastic Free Mumbles: The campaign asking you to 'pick up your cup'

A Mumbles-based campaign is aiming to cut down on the number of single-use plastics in the area.

Plastic Free Mumbles, a Surfers Against Sewage initiative, is supported by Mumbles Community Council.

The campaign, which started in June, aims to educate the Mumbles community about waste, plastic use, and refill and reuse culture.

Part of this has involved collaborating with local businesses as part of a major campaign to tackle single-use coffee cups.

In the UK, 7 million disposable coffee cups are used every day, adding up to 2.5 billion a year.

Based on our current trajectory, it is estimated that by 2040, plastic pollution for our waterways and on land will weigh 1.3 billion tonnes.

The #PickUpYourCup initiative encourages locals to use re-useable coffee cups, with Plastic Free Mumbles having created their own. Pippins, Mumbles Coffee, Ripples and The Touring Tearoom are among some of the local businesses involved in the campaign.

When customers purchase one of the Plastic Free Mumbles coffee cups from these premises, they get their first and tenth coffee for free when using the loyalty card that comes with it.

"Our Plastic Free Mumbles #pickupyourcup campaign has been a great start to raising awareness and cutting back on single-use plastics in the area, making sure to carry your reusables instead of single-use takeaway cups," said Ffion Evans, a Plastic Free Mumbles volunteer team member.

"It's been lovely to have support from local businesses, to help spread the word through Mumbles Village and beyond. It's clear to see that we all want to make a difference in the current climate, and to instigate positive change in the local environment for locals, tourists and the planet alike."

Local businesses in the area can also become Plastic Free Business Champions, working with the campaign to reduce their use of plastic.

Since its launch, Plastic Free Mumbles has also held three community events, including a Beach Art Festival with local environmental artists, signed up six local traders to reduce waste in their workplace, and passed a council resolution at Mumbles Community Council.

Beach cleaning events also ran in the summer, however, the various lockdowns have meant that Plastic Free Mumbles has had to limit their activity.

However, the team hopes to hold more community events this year and launch more campaigns, including the installation of new recycling bins in the area.

"We hope this year to be able to continue working with local businesses to help the fight against single-use items, and have a few exciting campaigns lined up that will hopefully encourage recycling and educate on reducing waste," Ms Evans said.

"Pandemics permitting, we will be holding more community events and beach cleans, so watch this space."

To find out more about Plastic Free Mumbles, click here.