Berryfield resident leads the fight against plastic

A BERRYFIELD resident is leading the way in the fight against single-use plastic with his own business specialising in recyclable and biodegradeable household items.

From his home in Berryfield, James Cowles has been running his business Save Some Green, for eight years, selling items such as toothbrushes, cutlery and straws made of bamboo and washing up brushes and scourers made of coconut – all eco-friendly alternatives to their plastic counterparts.

“There’s nobody based in the UK that does what I do,” said James. “Being the premier bamboo toothbrush supplier, does raise a few eyebrows!”

Following the broadcast of last year’s Blue Planet on the BBC that highlighted the issue of plastic pollution and the news that many local councils, including Melksham, are promoting a plastic-free lifestyle, James has seen an increased interest in his business, with national media reaching out to him for comment.

James explained, “It can’t be a bad thing, a little part of me thinks ‘about time!’ because it gets said every day, and its been said every day by somebody at some point for literally decades. But good ole Mr Attenborough, he’s pointed out that we’re killing things with everything we do and there are amazing, beautiful, wonderful things out there that we’re never going to see, and our children will never see, because we carry on the way that we do.”

James said, “I’ve always been interested in environmental issues, I’m a bit of a hippy. I don’t want the environment and animals to suffer because of us. In the last 40 years, since I’ve been alive on this planet, half the UK wildlife population has been decimated, by us going about our business, living blind, ignorant to the damage that we cause.

“By making little changes, things can be better for everyone. Nothing has to make an awful lot of difference, using products like the coconut hair scourers doesn’t change the way you wash up, you still get clean plates and nothing dies, which is great.

“The products available demonstrate that things we do on a daily basis can be changed to help make a big difference in the world.

“I’m just an ordinary guy who wants to make sure my kids are happy, I want the world to be a better place. So by helping people to do so with Save Some Green, then I suppose I’m leaving something behind.”

For more information about visit: www.savesome green. co.uk