The goal is to engage a million people in free physical activities in parks to help combat obesity, with free events such as hula hooping, Tai Chi, Zumba or easy cricket and rounders designed to help combat inactivity, a big issue in our sedentary daily lives.
CSR manager Liz Lowe talked about the company investing £20m over the next six years. The scheme, which is linked to zero-calorie Coke Zero, will be operating for six months a year, initially in Birmingham, Newcastle and Newham in London. There are plans to roll this out to 12 major cities around the UK by 2020.
A pregnant Jessica Ennis-Hill launched the campaign in London recently, doing Dyna Band exercises with mums and demonstrating ‘Buggyfit’ techniques.
This pioneering initiative is being watched by companies all over the globe, because by funding the kit, the gazebos and most importantly the local staff to run these events, a massive increase in sports and sociability is the aim, with the idea to bring in whole families and older people, as well as children.
Other goals to be achieved by the 2020 milestone include further steps in water stewardship, with a ground-breaking project to improve water courses in the sugar beet area around the River Nar in Norfolk. Nick Brown, associate director for recycling, explained how, “the ratio of 1.26 litres of water for every litre of product is already among the lowest in the world”.
Research shows that packaging accounts for 52% of carbon footprint across the Coca-Cola value chain. And although some 12 billion bottles and cans are recycled across the northwest geographic region, the company has discovered that less than half of all PET bottles, and around one third of cans, are recycled in total. However, thanks to festival links, the Coca-Cola’s Happiness Recycles initiative has encouraged recycling levels to rise to six in 10 bottles.
This year, they are linking into the new British Summertime festival and the Royal Highland Show, with fridge magnets being given in exchange for recycling (the kitchen is the room where most recycling takes place at home).
To encourage recycling (particularly among the young), OpenIDEO – a crowdsourcing ideas site – has resulted in 200 ideas for making recycling easier in the home. This is being whittled down to just five winners, including:
So, from Wrap’s latest figures to Coca-Cola’s innovative projects, there was plenty to draw from this green update. Good to see free initiatives that do you good. Can’t wait to try the Tai Chi!
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