“Households in the UK are estimated to throw away 66 items of plastic packaging per week on average. This means that 1.85 billion plastic packaging items are thrown away each week across all UK households, equating to almost 100 billion items a year.” [Statista, Aug 23]
PLASTIC FREE PANTRY
Harriet’s Of Hove, refill store, plastic-free pantry, harrietsofhove.com
Kindly of Brighton, 2 locations: 10-114 Dyke Rd, Brighton BN1 3TE & 20-21 York Place, Brighton BN1 4GU (former HIBSE location) , refill store, loose veggies & fruits, vegan, kindlyofbrighton.com
Store Brighton, 253E Ditchling Rd, Brighton BN1 6JD, refill store, plastic-free household/toiletries, storebrighton.co.uk
TACKLING FOOD WASTE
Kitche APP, free food waste app designed to save you money and reduce your food waste at home
Olio Mobile APP, free app, giveaways, borrowing/lending things to reduce household, food waste
The Real Junk Food Project:
– Hub: Bevedean BN2 4LW, pay-as-you-feel, Mon-Fri pm.
– Pop-Up Cafe, pay-as-you-feel:
►The Fitz Cafe BN2 1AP, Tue-Thu, coffee & cake 10am, lunch 12-2pm,
►St Luke’s Church BN1 5DD, Tue & Wed, 12.30-2pm
►Hollingdean Community. Centre BN1 7BH, Thu 12.30-1.45pm
– Book: ‘Rescue Recipes: Fighting Food Waste One Meal at a Time’.
Too Good to Go APP, free app connecting customers to restaurants/stores that have surplus unsold food
DON’T BUY, BORROW or RENT!
Brighton & Hove Library of Things, Castle Square, Brighton BN1 1EE, tool library, rental, Tue-Sat, participate.libraryofthings.co.uk/brighton
Brighton Borrowers, community library of things (anything! from baby bath, Xbox games to hedge trimmer), order online, donation welcome, brightonborrowers.co.uk
Resource Centre Brighton [FOR GROUPS], groups in Brighton & Hove and surrounding areas can hire equipment for fetes and fairs, playschemes, after school clubs, meetings, and lots of other events, www.resourcecentre.org.uk
reuse-a-bowl, stop the single use & hire your kid’s party plates, cups, cutlery & bowls, FB: @reuse-a-bowl
Toy Library, Tarner Family Hub, Mon pm, Tue 9.30am-1.30pm, Wed 9.30am-2.30pm, Thu 10am-1.30pm, ecpuk.org/toy-library
FIX & REUSE – REPAIR CAFES & SECONDHAND
Brighton Bike Hub, 6b St Martin’s Place, Brighton BN2 3LE, bike repair space, secondhand bike shop, Facebook: @BrightonBikeHub
Brighton Repair Café, St George’s Hall, Moulsecoomb BN1 9JG, 10am -12pm, 1st Sat of the month, Facebook: @Brighton Repair Café
Community Repair Café, Bristol Estate Community Hub BN2 5DJ, monthly Tue pm, check Facebook: @Bristol Estate Community Hub
Hollingdean Repair Café, Hollingdean Community Centre BN1 7BH, 10am-12pm, 1st Sat of the month, Facebook: @Hollingdean Repair Café
Patcham Repair Café, Patcham Community Centre BN1 8TA, 2nd Sat every month (except Aug), 10.30am-1pm, Find on Facebook
Prestonville Repair Café, Exeter Street Hall, Brighton BN1 5PG, 2nd Sun of the month, 10am-12pm, exeterstreethall.org/event/
MPB, buy, sell or trade used camera & video kit, www.mpb.com/en-uk/sell-or-trade
Tech-Takeback & Revaluit (online), sustainable solution for unwanted electronics & sale of refurbished tech, techtakeback.com
BEACH CLEAN
Leave No Trace Brighton, Community Beach clean usually on a Sunday, spring/summer, check FB for info: @Leavenotracebrighton
Surfer Against Sewage Brighton Beach Clean, from 2024, 3rd Sun of the month, various locations, check Instagram: @sasinbrighton
The Deans Beach & Environment Volunteers Beach Clean, 1st Sun of the month, 11am-12.30pm, check FB @thedeansvolunteers
Marine Conservation Society, click here to find a local beach clean event.
GIVEAWAYS
Freecycle, network for giving away or getting stuff for free, freecycle.org
Freegle Shop, drop small unwanted items & pick something you need, ‘Planet Brighton’, The Open Market BN1 4JU, Thu, Fri & Sat, 10am-4pm, FB: @Brighton Freegle
Freegle APP, online dating app for stuff, free giveaway of unwanted things, ilovefreegle.org/mobile
GREENER PRODUCTS/GIFTS/TOYS
Goodmoney, gift vouchers supporting the local businesses, goodmoney.co.uk
Gomi Design, Brighton-based, unique power bank, portable speakers made of 100% waste & repairable, website: gomi.design
It’s Your Planet Too, award winning eco activity & subscription boxes for children for hours of fun, itsourplanettoo.co.uk
Plastic Free Baby, eco-friendly online shop, plasticfree.baby
Playpress Toys, Sussex-based, eco-friendly buildable connecatble playsets, playpresstoys.co.uk
Puzzle Bored, 27 New Rd, Brighton BN1 1UG, puzzle shop featuring local artists, puzzlebored.co.uk
Squiggle & Bean, handmade crochet toys & comforters, squiggleandbean.co.uk
Timeless Toys, Portland Rd, Hove BN3 5DP, plastic free, planet friendly wooden toys, timeless-toys.co.uk
OTHER GREEN BUSINESSES
The Green Cleaner, for a cleaner, healthier home, 01273 726886
The Washable Nappy Company, free demonstration & trial kits, 07833 927210
Zedify, green cycle courier offering same & next day deliveries, zedify.co.uk
PICK YOUR OWN
There are so many good things about PYO. Not only it is a lovely day out with the kids, but it also shows them how the fruits and veg grow,and how they taste when they are picked perfectly ripe. It also supports the local farmers and saves on packaging!
West Sussex:
Dell Quay PYO, Crouchers Farm, near Chichester, PO20 7EQ. All-weather PYO strawberry, raspberry, sunflower, pumpkin and Christmas trees, www.dellquaypyo.co.uk/
New House Farm, nr Horsham RH12 4RU. PYO strawberries (June), check website for picking dates, farm shop & tea room, www.newhousefarmshop.co.uk/
Spring Gardens Nursery, Washington, nr Pulborough RH20 3BS. PYO all kind of berries, currants, plums and seasonal veggies, 01903 892225, springgardensnursery.uk/pyo
Roundstone Farm, Angmering, near Worthing BN12 6PW, berries, currants, plums and seasonal vegetables, 01903 501 663 or 01903 770 670, roundstonefarm.co.uk
East Sussex:
Maynards Fruit Farm, Maynards Farm, Ticehurst, TN57HQ. PYO fruits, berries, plums, apples, rhubarb, June-Sep, check website/social media, maynardsfruit.co.uk
Oast Farm, Lephams Bridge, Buxted TN224AU. Not PYO but has a farm shop and grows apples/pears, offers apple press services if you would like to juice your own apples, oastfarmbuxted.co.uk/
Sharnfold Farm, Hailsham Rd, Stone Cross, Pevensey BN24 5BU. PYO strawberries field coming this summer and lots of fun activities for kids, 01323 768490, thefamilyparksgroup.co.uk/locations/sharnfold-farm/
Southbrockwells Farm, Bradfords Lane, Little Horsted, Uckfield TN22 5QS. Daily freshly cut asparagus (not PYO though), season starts around St. George’s Day (23rd April) and finishes at summer solstice (21st June), southbrockwellsfarm.com
Tibbs Farm, near Rye TN31 6AR. Pick your own all kinds of berries, currants, plums, apricots, mid-June to end August, check website; Christmas trees, Nov-Dec; café, 07596 741680, tibbsfarm.com
USEFUL LINKS
Brighton & Hove Recycling Points
What can and can’t recycle in Brighton & Hove
Recycle Week 2025: 22-28 September 2025
GREENER CHRISTMAS
Do your own and plastic free! Home-made gifts are awesome!Why not buy second-hand and plan for a Secret Santa!
Use your leftovers! Be creative! ‘Post-Christmas Dinner Tapas’!
[www.plasticfreejuly.org]
