Sustainable Newport Shropshire (made up of members from the former Newport 21 group) is a local group who champion environmental issues for the area. For 2019 one of their activities is to get Newport to become a "Plastic Free Community" by July to line up with the global "Plastic Free July". To achieve this they've signed up to the Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) scheme which outlines 5 objectives to achieve the recognised status.
On February 13th at the full council meeting Newport Town Council unanimously approved passing a resolution to support the plastic free community program. This will tick off objective 1 for the official scheme. The Town Clerk from Newport Town Council added:
“Members are wholehearted behind this initiative from “Sustainable Newport” and as a corporate body will continue to support and raise awareness of the group and their most valuable enterprise, not only for the future of our Town but also the planet. We hope others local businesses, groups and schools will also sign up and get on board to enable Sustainable Newport to achieve all their objectives to accomplish the officially recognised status as a plastic free community.”
Objective 2 is around local business's and requires the group to sign up local business's to commit to getting rid of 3 items of Single Use Plastic from their business. Sustainable Newport are requesting local business's to complete their survey to help identify areas which they can support business to achieving this goal. The survey is also helping to identify some of the other things business's are doing which will then be showcased on the Sustainable Newport website (www.SustainableNewportShropshire.org)
Objective 3 is about Plastic Free Allies which includes other local groups and schools, many of which have already been contacted to sign up support. Interested groups should email info@sustainablenewportshropshire.org to find out more.
Objective 4 is around Plastic Free Rallies which will involve having at least 2 public events to help raise awareness. Plans are currently being finalised for an environmental awareness movie night and supermarkets are being contacted about tying with with SAS's "Mass Unwrap"
The final objective is around a Plastic Free Steering Committee made up of up to 10 people to drive the scheme forward including local council, school and business representatives. The next meeting Team plastic free will be at the Library from 5:30 to 6:30 on March 4th ahead of the town councils Annual General Meeting at the Guildhall from 7pm.
More information about the Surfers Against Sewage Plastic free community program can be found at www.sas.org.uk/plastic-free-communities/
More information about Sustainable Newport Shropshire can be found on their website www.SustainableNewportShropshire.org on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SusbleNewport or email info@sustainablenewportshropshire.org
