Across the world millions of single-use plastic water bottles are used and discarded every day. Many of these enter our rivers and waterways, and end up in the ocean where they kill marine creatures, spoil our coastlines, and damage livelihoods. London has one of the highest rates of bottled water consumption in the UK. The average Londoner buys 3.37 plastic water bottles every week – that is 175 per person per year, and over a billion per year on a city level. Sadly, many of these enter and pollute the River Thames and end up in the seas and oceans around the world. 

To combat this growing problem and to protect marine life ZSL, together with nine NGO’s collaborated on the #OneLess campaign. The aim of the campaign is to reduce the number of single-use plastic bottles by encouraging a culture where refillable drinking water is the norm and to facilitate this across London. This rapidly growing movement has seen organisations, businesses and communities going #Oneless by stopping the sale and use of single-use plastic bottles. 

In June 2016 ZSL stopped the sale of single-use plastic bottles from across ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo. Visitors are now able to buy refillable water bottles from the shops across both sites and refile these for free in any catering outlets or drinking fountains. Visitors that do want a disposable alternative can now buy Water in a Box. Passionate about raising awareness of these rising issues,  The Deep have removed single use plastic bottles from their shops and catering outlets and have replaced them with refillable bottles, cups or Water in a Box. Changes often start from within and ZSL and The Deep gave all employees and volunteers free refillable water bottles to help the transition.

You can join in this amazing campaign to fight against ocean plastic by signing the pledge which is available on the #Oneless website and by buying a refillable water bottle.