World Environment Day - 5th June

World Environment Day was set up in 1974 to encourage all of us, including governments and businesses, to look after our planet. Countries take it in turn to choose a theme. The host of World Environment Day is Cote d’Ivoire with support from the Netherlands. The theme for World Environment Day will focus on solutions to plastic pollution under the campaign #BeatPlasticPollution 
The world is being destroyed through the vast quantities of plastic with more than 400 million tonnes produced every year, half of which is single use. And of the remainder only 10% can be recycled. It's shocking and very worrying. 

Did you know? 
Approximately 19-23 million tonnes of plastic ends up in lakes, rivers and seas. Landfill takes the rest and leakage from landfills means more plastics end up in our water courses and into the oceans. In turn microplastics end up in the food chain from water we drink and even from the air we breath, which is damaging to our health. 
On the plus side, there is a glimmer of hope in this very worrying situation. Very, very slowly we are making everyone more aware and steps are being made to reduce the use of plastic, reuse, and recycle but there is so much to do. When you look around you everywhere you go, everything you buy there is so much plastic!

 
Our Business Commitment
As an independent business, we are continuing to take steps to do everything we can to reduce plastics, and have actively doing so since we started out in 2015. 
Our founder, Gilly Jenks, is a horticulturist, with interests in sustainable agriculture and has been an environmentalist for most of her life, following her families ethos of reuse, recycle and reduce. She is a member of the Soil Association, WWF, and other conservation charities, and was one of the first business owners to sell compostable plant pots in the UK as she was concerned about the vast number of plastic plant pots thrown away. 

Green & Jenks World Environment Pledge - What we are doing 

• We only offer paper bags or cardboard boxes for customers purchases 
• We only sell drinks in glass bottles or cans, both can be recycled
• We sell milk in glass bottles which can be returned and reused
• We sell loose fruit and veg tor reduce use of plastic packaging and customers buy what they need so reduce food waste
• We sell detergents, liquid soaps and plastic free loo roll in our refill centre 
• We choose to work with suppliers who are making positive steps to ban plastic, such as Two Farmers Crisps. Many suppliers are B Corp and have a duty of care. 
• We sell vases made from recycled glass, our range of garden pots are made from Recycled Plastics. 
• We choose to work with suppliers who have sustainable credentials and offer plastic free products and packaging.

The Clothes Circle - our sustainable fashion brand
Actions speak louder than words. We were concerned about the impact fast fashion is having on the environment so wanted to promote sustainability and champion slow fashion in Cardiff. So, towards the end of 2022 we opened our preloved fashion shop The Clothes Circle which is located on the first floor above the deli. 

We take customers unworn clothes and sell them on their behalf. They receive vouchers to spend in Green & Jenks, a truly circular economy and with sustainability at its core. 

Share your story
What actions are you taking to reduce plastic? Tell us and we will share.

For more information
#BeatPlasticPollution #WorldEnvironmentDay