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The nation’s annual celebration of Recycle Week is here! With this year’s theme centred around The Climate Crisis, this week's post is dedicated to the importance of recycling and how we can be more eco-friendly with our finances to help the planet.
We know environmental concerns are still on the increase, so we need to do more. We need to do it now. And we need to act together. It’s time to join the fight against climate change. Step It Up this Recycle Week.
1) Recycling: Why is it So Important?
According to the House of Commons library, the UK uses an estimated five million tonnes of plastic every year - half of which is packaging.
Many different types of plastics, including Polypropylene, are not recyclable or biodegradable.
Plastic waste often doesn’t decompose, and as a result, can last centuries in landfill or end up as litter in our natural environment. This in turn pollutes our soils, rivers, oceans, and harms the creatures that inhabit these areas - including us.
Australian researchers also discovered that people consume nearly 5 grams of plastic, every day, each week - the equivalent of a single payment card!
2) Plastic Payment Cards: Good or Bad?
Although the average lifespan of a credit or debit card is 3-5 years, chances are you’ve misplaced your card at least once in your life and had to order a new one early.
When this happens, your previous card is chucked away and replaced with a new one. Usually these new cards are then shipped to your home, with one envelope for the card and another for the pin code. This delivery wastes paper and contributes to global emissions.
The small magnetic strips on your payment card are also made of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), which unfortunately makes these cards unrecyclable. PVC is a dangerous material that releases toxins into our air and waterways, and eventually our food.
The layers of plastics that make up payment cards also include metals like cadmium - considered a carcinogen and extremely harmful to human health.
This life cycle starts over every time we order a new payment card, taking its toll on our planet.
3) What Can We Do?
To end this cycle, we must consider the impact this is having on our environment and consider a greener alternative to these harmful plastics.
Switching to plastic-free, digital payments can be the solution to waste caused by plastic payment cards - ImageNPay offers this eco-friendly option in the form of a mobile app where you can make payments both online and in store (via Apple Pay) with your very own virtual card!
You can also use your card to set up standing orders and donate online, with the option to personalise your card with both static and moving images from our vast library.
Be a part of the change with ImageNPay and help us eliminate plastic waste this Recycle Week!
Download the app for free on the App Store and connect with us on Instagram @ImageNPay to find out more about we’re doing to help protect the planet.
