Sangeeta Robinson’s Post

97% of consumers say they want to be more sustainable. But only 13% are actively changing their behaviour. So what’s preventing the other 84 % from making a difference? It’s called the intention-behaviour gap. This happens when a person’s intention doesn’t align with their actions. Very often, people intend to be conscious consumers but that doesn’t reflect in their actions. For example: Between 40% to 60% of households report they do not waste any food. But less than 1% really avoid food waste. Up to 60% of households believe that hard plastic should be recycled. But only around 15% do. The good news is the gap between intention and behaviour can be bridged. Click the comments to find out how 👇

I was invited as a panelist last week to discuss sustainable grocery shopping. As much as governments are looking into banning the usage of plastic bags, we are still not addressing the crux of the problem. I've mentioned this before, sustainable grocery shopping does not end with plastic bags. Consumers are encouraged to use reusable bags when shopping however, we still leave our grocers with almost everything packed in plastics. The ban of plastics must go beyond plastic bags. Consumers can change habits however, we're also not given a lot of choices, stuck in a system that refuses to change. Often so, onus of responsibility falls on consumers and blame is shifted to us by corporations and governments. That is why the global plastics treaty plays an important role. We must push for governments and corporations to reboot the system focusing on reduction, redesigning, elimination of harmful plastics and more. With Malaysia being a low ambition nation, we need to keep pressuring our government to act with ambition and urgency. We must establish and implement a robust policy that promotes circularity, with a focus on human health and environment. Sign the petition here. It's time we be a catalyst for change. https://lnkd.in/gwxeJjW7

Another day, another major corporate backpedaling on their sustainable packaging commitments, and this time it's Nestlé. Not surprisingly, while announcing its plastic reduction pledges with lots of PR and attention-grabbing headlines, the rollback has been much more discreet. The language on the website of the world's largest food maker has been quietly changed to pledging to mostly use plastic “designed for” recycling by 2025, rather than only use “recyclable” or reusable packaging by next year — its original commitment. Sense the difference? This adds to a long line of companies, including Unilever, Colgate-Palmolive & The Coca-Cola Company who have also quietly backtracked on their commitments to plastic packaging recycling. Why do they all do this? It is because the jig is up: plastic recycling fundamentally doesn't work on both technical and economical levels. Perhaps now that the truth is unavoidable, we can finally agree that reduction and avoidance is the only way forward?

Earth Day 2024’s theme is “Planet vs Plastics”: Does anyone else try and fail to reduce the plastic consumption in the home? Does anyone else find that despite careful choice when food shopping, the recycling bin is overflowing, week-in and week-out? My obsession with trying (and failing) to live plastic-free began some years ago. Whilst plastic is a super convenient product for keeping food fresh, the Minderoo Foundation estimates that of the 139 million tonnes of plastic made every year, only 7-8% is recycled, that the very act of recycling it liberates microplastics and generates a downstream product with inferior properties. Plastic recycling is far from being an endless loop or a panacea. My children too suffer due to my plastic free obsession, as they’re forced to use eco toothpaste with a flavour best described as ‘acquired’–They detest these with a passion. The point is, we may be creating a huge problem for our grandchildren. Microplastics recently were attributed to a fourfold increased risk of death in a study with 200 heart patients, post-surgery. Recently, a local shop dedicated to refilling customers’ own containers with food was forced to refocus on their more profitable café business. The economic landscape doesn’t seem to favour the ecologically minded independent retailer.    If you care about this issue, I’d urge you to make responsible purchases where possible. As you can be sure, your shopping habits will be closely monitored. Perhaps a tax on plastic might drive change? Or do you feel there’s already enough regulatory oversight in the UK? Should we wait for development of a more circular economy around food packaging to be driven from the retailers themselves? What are your thoughts? Oh, and if anyone has any recommendations for eco toothpastes, my children would be forever grateful! EARTHDAY.ORG https://lnkd.in/etaRQpPd

Let's Make a Small Change! Most of us cut the milk pouch at the corner in such a way that a small triangular piece of plastic gets detached. Do you know why we should avoid this? A sister in Bengaluru is running an awareness campaign around this issue. Every day, Bengaluru alone consumes around 5 million milk pouches. Typically, these pouches are collected from waste and recycled. But the tiny piece of plastic we cut off is too small to be recycled. Think about it – 5 million pieces of plastic every day, just from Bengaluru! If we calculate for the entire country, the amount of unrecycled plastic would be staggering. This plastic doesn’t decompose for 400 to 600 years. We can cut the milk pouch in a way that the small piece stays attached, and the milk will still pour easily without spilling. In this simple way, we can help protect the environment. Let’s do our part!

🌱 The Unexpected Lessons of a Thums Up Bottle Label Recently, while serving a customer at our restaurant, I noticed a message on the back of a Thums Up bottle: "I am made from 100% recycled food-grade PET." It got me thinking—how many people actually know what "food-grade PET" means and how impactful it can be for our planet? PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) is a type of plastic commonly used in food and drink containers. When we see "100% recycled," it means the material has gone through a sustainable process to be reused for food storage, reducing the need for new plastic production. Here’s a startling fact: 🌍 Each year, over 500 billion plastic bottles are produced worldwide, and fewer than 10% actually get recycled! Most of these bottles end up in landfills or the ocean, where they can take 450 years to decompose. By choosing products made from recycled PET, we support a cycle that minimizes waste, conserves resources, and helps curb pollution. ♻️ These small details, like using 100% recycled materials, may seem minor, but they contribute to a larger picture of sustainability. Every choice we make in what we produce, serve, or buy can play a part in shaping a cleaner, healthier world. Thank you, The Coca-Cola Company , Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages for making our earth a little bit better. 🌍 Have you ever noticed similar eco-friendly messages in your everyday items? Let’s talk about how these choices impact our environment and why they matter.

Over half of UK food products use unnecessary plastic packaging - this figure is astounding to me. This article in Sustainability Magazine sheds light on this worrying trend. To meet circular economy targets, organisations must end their plastic dependency – current consumption is incompatible with environmental targets. In fact, we’re producing twice the plastic waste compared with twenty years ago and just 9% is recycled. To get a grip on plastic usage and understand how it can be reduced, exercises like individual business assessments can be really helpful. They take into account the uniqueness of the organisation and identify solutions and technologies available in the market to drive meaningful positive change. Please feel free to message me directly if you would like any more information on this. https://bit.ly/3YBPGmk   #Netzero #CapgeminiInventUK #Getthefutureyourwant #Sustainablefutures  

Happy Earth Day! 5 Ways to contribute to Making our planet a better and cleaner place: 1. Buy local- utilize your local farmers markets by buying fresh and local produce and honey! 2. Recycle- If your community requires you to pay to recycle, you can start your own recycling bin and bring it to your local recycling center. 3. Cut your plastic bottle six-pack rings- These small plastic rings most commonly known to hold our soda bottles together, when thrown on our beaches or in the ocean can get caught around the necks of sea animals. By cutting these, it can help reduce the number of ocean animal deaths. 4. Invest in some reusable grocery bags- Most local stores, both grocery and retail have some type of reusable bag for a cheap purchase amount. By using these bags, can reduce the amount of plastic in the environment. 5. Purchase a reusable water bottle- Though Stanley Cups have become a silly trend, it is in fact an ecofriendly trend! By using a reusable water bottle, this will also help reduce the amount of plastic consumption.

Our recent research uncovered Brits' top supermarket packaging pet peeves, highlighting concerns about excessive plastic use and non-recyclable materials. 🛒 It's inspiring to see that over a third of shoppers prioritise environmentally friendly packaging with nearly a quarter of consumers even willing to pay extra for sustainable options. The Circular Economy is not a compromise. When it comes to packaging, it means not using more materials than necessary, optimising supply chains, using recycled materials as second nature, and making sure it can be recycled or reused. These are not just words. We have already exceeded our goal of replacing 1.2 billion everyday plastic items on supermarket shelves, such as fruit and vegetable punnets with fibre-based alternatives, 16 months ahead of schedule. Find out more about the research findings and how we can help make your packaging circular: https://ow.ly/6EQF50Ti9PA