Turn on the Tap
Inspired by the original and popular Bude Beach Care Refill scheme, Clean Cornwall – in association with St Austell Brewery and Surfers Against Sewage – is taking the battle against littering to the next level with Turn on the Tap, a countywide free water refill campaign.
Turn on the Tap aims to turn off the flow of litter by calling on people to make just one simple change to their habits – to choose tap water instead of buying plastic bottled water both at home and out and about.
To launch the Turn on the Tap campaign, Clean Cornwall is giving away 1000 stainless steel 500ml water flasks. Free to collect at various dispensing stations across the county, people will be able to re-use these flasks, filling up with free tap water at venues across Cornwall to reduce the number of plastic, throwaway water bottles that so often eat up bin space and end up littering our beautiful beaches and countryside.
For every flask given away and refilled, an average of 60 plastic bottles will be diverted from bins and from the environment*. This means in Cornwall that’s already 60,000 less plastic bottles. Moving away from plastic water bottles is a change of habit that will help to stop litter in Cornwall and it is also hoped that it will encourage more of use to think about how we consume single use plastic.
Turn on the Tap works with the support of businesses like St Austell Brewery who will proudly display the Turn on the Tap window stickers in pubs, inns and hotels across Cornwall. This sticker informs passers-by that they are very welcome to come in and refill their own flasks or water bottles with free tap water.
Brewery MD James Staughton said, “The Clean Cornwall campaign is something I feel passionate about and have been involved with from the outset. Turn on the Tap is a project that epitomises everything Clean Cornwall stands for; getting people from all walks of life and businesses large and small to take responsibility and play their part in keeping our beautiful countryside beautiful.”
Some of us may already be happy to ask for free water, as Ruth Avery, Landlady of the The Harbour Inn, Porthleven commented, “Cyclists and walkers staying at our inn regularly ask for their flasks to be filled with water but this isn’t something that everybody is comfortable with. This is a great campaign and it’s fantastic to be a part of something that makes it easier for more people to come in and ask for something that is free without feeling cheeky. It is such a simple idea. ”
A full list of locations can be found at www.cleancornwall.org/TOTT
To claim you free flask visit www.cleancornwall.org/freebie This giveaway closes at midnight on Thursday 10 March.
Businesses are encouraged to join in with Turn on the Tap. They can play a very active role in the campaign simply by displaying a sticker in their window and turning on the tap. Cafes, bars, restaurants, hostels, anyone – if you have a tap and would like to show your support to the campaign and to those people who are making a positive choice away from single use plastic get in touch with Clean Cornwall.
*according to the Global Beverage Forecasts March 2015 report
Clean Cornwall is a partnership of local businesses, community groups, voluntary and public sector organisations that, since 2006, has shared one common goal – to keep our county litter free and tidy.
Clean Cornwall is hosted by Cornwall Rural Community Charity. CRCC is a Cornish charity that supports local groups and individuals to achieve their aspirations and develop sustainable inclusive communities. With 70 years of evolving experience to draw upon, CRCC is one of the longest enduring charities in Cornwall with work reaching people across the county and where funding sources allow extends to the Isles of Scilly.