Switch from plastic to paper provides support for environmental charity
Otter Garden Centres has made a massive leap in its journey to improving eco-credentials by switching from plastic to paper carrier bags.
What’s more, the family-run business, which has seven branches across the South of England, has donated the money raised from the sale of plastic bags over the past two years to Devon Environment Foundation, which funds a variety of grassroots nature regeneration projects.
Managing Director, Jacqui Taylor explained: “For many years we have used branded plastic bags in all our stores. But with the whole business now focussing on green issues we decided to phase these out in favour of brown paper bags.
“The new bags are made from strong, recycled brown paper and are printed with a water based ink, so they are 100% recyclable. Even so, rather than put them into recycling collections, we would really like to see customers reusing them as much as possible. With their attractive design they make great gift bags, and they’re also ideal for those customers who use paper bags to make seed pots, which is really ingenious.”
Jacqui says that a lot of research went into the decision. “We realise that paper bags have an environmental impact too, but the overriding benefit is the recyclability of paper, and the fact it can be composted. In a compost heap a paper bag should break down within four months, whilst a plastic bag can take up to 1,000 years!”
The business actively encourages customers to bring their own bags as much as possible rather than buy new or make use of cardboard boxes recycled from deliveries to the garden centres to carry plants to their cars. These can then be brought back on a future visit to use again or be left for other customers to use. In addition, Otter offers plastic plant pot recycling at all its branches.
During 2021 and 2022, the team has put aside any money made from the sale of plastic bags, collecting £2,430 to donate to a charity. Devon Environment Foundation was chosen for its commitment to supporting smaller projects in the South West region though awarding grants.
These range from a project to fund training for community analysts looking at water quality in local rivers, enabling a freshwater crayfish hatchery to help this endangered species, and engaging the community to survey for harvest mice whilst raising awareness of how landowners can help them. Grants have previously been awarded to initiatives including Plymouth Pesticide Awareness, South Hams Marine Life Rescue, East Devon Swales and Torbay Seabed Regeneration.
Amanda Keetley, Executive Director of Devon Environment Foundation said: “We’re very grateful to Otter Garden Centres; we directed their funds quickly to some innovative grassroots projects that required urgent support to kick-start or scale-up their positive impact for nature.
“Without donors like Otter Garden Centres, we wouldn’t be able to support as many of the brilliant people delivering tangible nature-based solutions in Devon.”
To find out more about the type of projects Otter Garden Centres’ donation be used for, visit Devon Environment Foundation
