We’ve been more and more exposed to the advances of climate change over the last few years – and we are starting to witness a shift in mindset on the impact we can all have in driving change. 

So now, to celebrate all things sustainability, help share tips for smarter environmental thinking and remind each other just how much our carbon impact matters, we’re inviting colleagues, friends of the business and our peers in the wider industry to take part in this quickfire environmental Q&A.

Next up, it’s Claire Sammons-Evans, sustainability lead at Prevented Ocean Plastic…

Where do you fit into the environmental sector? Tell us a little bit about your role at Prevented Ocean Plastic. 

As the sustainability lead, my work focuses on the supply chain – protecting the environment and elevating the people within it. I’ve most recently returned from a trip to Indonesia, where we visited our Bali collection centre, opened a new aggregation centre — in conjunction with USAID — in Semarang, and visited other collection centre sites as part of our 25 by 2025 campaign. 

Complete the sentence – the UK is great at recycling… 

… but consumers need to be more informed, so they can make better choices. Recycling is fantastic, but for a truly circular economy to work, we need demand and support across all levels.

Which sector do you think could achieve significant environmental progress this year? 

Transport, logistics, and distribution.

What do you wish you’d known about the environment, as a child? 

How diverse and vast the planet truly is, and that it’s wonderfully regenerative when offered the right conditions!

What’s the single biggest threat to the environment, in your opinion? 

Climbing temperatures — along with rising sea levels — is causing destruction to communities and increasing the volume of land-based waste such as plastic bottles entering the sea. 

Share one tip to help people be ‘greener’, at work or at home: 

Choose recycled! Plastic isn’t all bad. It’s a wonderfully-lightweight, clear material that can keep things fresher for longer — plus, it’s easy to store and can be effectively recycled. I advise people to consider what packaging they do pick up when shopping — and what happens with it once they’re finished with it!

Tell us an environmental statistic that you think people need to know: 

According to UN statistics, more than 17 million tonnes of plastic waste entered the oceans in 2021, and by 2040 it could be double — or even triple — that number!

Complete the sentence – in 100 years’ time… 

I’d love to see thriving oceans, coastal communities free from plastic, and generally much less single-use waste being produced.