Every Can Counts UK

  • Matina Zavoudaki

The Every Can Counts rainbow appears in Liverpool to mark Recycle Week
The Every Can Counts rainbow appears in Liverpool to mark Recycle Week 1904 571 Matina Zavoudaki

The Every Can Counts rainbow installation has appeared in Williamson Square in Liverpool city centre ahead of the start of Recycle Week, 17th – 23rd October.

Every Can Counts UK has partnered with Liverpool BID Company to bring the colourful archway, made from over 2.500 recycled cans, to the city centre to raise awareness around the importance of recycling and inspire more people to recycle their empty drink cans.

*CITYPRESS – EVERY CAN COUNTS*

According to Every Can Counts UK’s research, 72% of Liverpool residents say they are becoming more conscious of the environment and their impact on it. What’s more, nearly eight in 10 (79%) already think that recycling their household waste is ”very important”.

Amongst Liverpudlians, the biggest barriers to recycling are the lack of recycling bins in public places (cited by 43% of respondents) and confusion about what packaging is and isn’t recyclable (25%).  

Chris Latham-Warde, Programme Manager for Every Can Counts UK, said: “Our rainbow installation has toured a number of cities across the UK and we’re thrilled to now bring it to Liverpool to mark Recycle Week. The archway will be on display in Williamson Square all week and we’re looking forward to seeing all the creative and fun photos people take with it.

The message behind the installation is that we can all make a difference by recycling our empty drink cans. Our research shows that a quarter of Liverpudlians are unsure what packaging is and isn’t recyclable. The good news is that when it comes to drink cans, it’s really straightforward! Aluminium is infinitely recyclable, and every recycled can could be back on a shop shelf as a brand new can in just 60 days. But this only happens when we play our part in the process and put our empty cans in the right bin. So we’re here to encourage people in Liverpool to recycle every single one of their empty cans, so that this valuable material stays in circulation.”

*CITYPRESS – EVERY CAN COUNTS*

Bill Addy, CEO of Liverpool BID Company, said: “Liverpool BID Company is committed to ensuring our city is always improving and we believe that sustainability, including recycling, is a big part of that and a habit we should all be making an effort to embrace.

“We’re pleased to be working with Every Can Counts on its wonderful rainbow can sculpture and have no doubt it will add a bit of colour to the city centre, while highlighting an important message.”

Passers-by have all week, until the evening of Friday 21st, to come and snap a picture with the installation and enter a social media photo competition for the chance to win a £150 Flannels gift card. For full prize draw details visit: www.everycancounts.co.uk/liverpool

  • adminEirini

Every Can Counts UK Announces New Partnership with Canned Wine Co.
Every Can Counts UK Announces New Partnership with Canned Wine Co. 1024 1024 adminEirini

Every Can Counts UK has announced its latest brand partnership with premium canned wine producer, Canned Wine Co.

Our team and the canned wine company will work together to help inspire and encourage drink can recycling amongst consumers in the UK.

Founded in 2019 by the trio, Simon Rollings, Lisa Solovieva and Ben Franks, Canned Wine Co. aims to make exciting and high-quality wine more convenient and accessible to drinkers in portioned cans, whilst also helping to reduce the environmental impact of wine by using aluminium packaging.

The award-winning Bath-based business has grown rapidly over the past two years – increasing its range to six wines, supplying the National Trust sites and hundreds of independent venues across the UK, and expanding to Ireland, Sweden, The Netherlands and Greece.

Simon Rollings, co-founder and CEO of Canned Wine Co., said: “Reducing waste, both wine wastage and packaging, is at the core of our brand. The infinite recyclability and lower carbon footprint compared to bottles made cans the obvious packaging choice.

As canned wines are frequently consumed in outdoor settings, we want to explicitly encourage the recycling of aluminium cans. The partnership with Every Can Counts is an important pillar of our upcoming sustainability strategy, and we are excited to use Every Can Counts bins at events around the country to help more cans enter the recycling loop.”

Chris Latham-Warde, Programme Manager for Every Can Counts UK, said: “We’re so pleased to be able to announce our latest drink brand partnership with Canned Wine Co. Their mission to bring more sustainable choices to consumers and the drink industry really resonates with what Every Can Counts is all about.

“We’re looking forward to working with Canned Wine Co. to raise awareness about the endless recyclability of drink cans and encourage people to do their bit to keep the cycle going.”

Every Can Counts collaborates with drink manufacturers as well as the wider drink can and recycling industries as part of its mission to reach a 100% drink can recycling rate.

The programme and its funders help to raise awareness of the importance of recycling empty drink cans with marketing activity and on-the-ground consumer engagement. This includes exhibiting an eye-catching Every Can Counts rainbow installation made from recycled cans, which has appeared in multiple high-profile locations across the country and was most recently in Glasgow during COP26.

Every Can Counts UK also runs a Green Can Award scheme which recognises the recycling efforts of local businesses, community groups and charities. The programme also works to make it easier for consumers to recycle their empty cans while they’re out-of-home, and its team of ambassadors spread the recycling message and collect cans at many festivals and public events throughout the year.

For more details about Canned Wine Co., visit www.cannedwine.co.

  • adminEirini

A rainbow of hope during the COP26 summit
A rainbow of hope during the COP26 summit 2560 1852 adminEirini

The #EveryCanCounts rainbow was presented in Glasgow for COP26 to remind people about the importance of recycling empty drink cans.

The now iconic symbol of Every Can Counts, the rainbow archway, was prominently displayed in Shawlands Civic Square in partnership with Glasgow City Council. Its goal? To raise awareness about the importance of recycling and inspire even more people to place their empties in the right bin.

The eye-catching installation, placed in front of Langside Halls, consists of more than 2,500 brightly coloured recycled drink cans and measures four metres high and seven metres wide. It took four people more than five hours to construct and remained in place until early November, spreading the recycling message over the first week of the climate change conference.

Every Can Counts’ own research suggests that more than 2.8 million drink cans are bought and used each week throughout Glasgow. Aluminium is infinitely recyclable and recycling just one can saves enough energy to power a TV for three hours. If all of these cans were recycled, it would give greenhouse gas savings equivalent to taking more than 7,200 cars off the city’s roads for a week.

Eight in 10 of those questioned say they always use recycling bins if they are available in public places, with more than seven in 10 claiming that they would recycle more while out and about if there were a greater number of recycling bins.

In fact, almost two thirds of Glaswegians say they have become more concerned about the environment and their impact on it over the last 12 months. Half believe this is due to Glasgow’s involvement in the conference.

“The rainbow is our way of reminding people about the importance of recycling cans at a time when the environment is firmly on the city’s agenda. Recycling an empty drink can is such an easy thing that each of us can do to help the planet. It might not seem like much, but every can is endlessly recyclable and making a can from recycled metal rather than raw materials uses 95% less energy and produces 95% less greenhouse gas emissions. In 2020, a record four out of five drink cans sold in the UK were recycled, given peoples’ lifestyles changed dramatically and we spent much of the year in lockdown. We want to continue making progress now the country has opened back up and our ultimate goal is to achieve a 100% recycling rate for drink cans”, Chris Latham-Warde, Programme Manager for Every Can Counts, said.

A rainbow to unite us all under one cause

This symbol, aiming to inspire more action towards aluminium can recycling, was embraced by citizens and politicians alike. “This installation was a reminder of the importance of recycling, and the significant environmental benefits it brings. We can all play our part in reducing emissions by recycling as much as we can”, councillor Anna Richardson, City Convener for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction at Glasgow City Council said.

“I was thrilled to see the Every Can Counts rainbow in my constituency. It acted as a key reminder of the importance of recycling more and keeping our streets tidy over the course of the landmark COP26 Summit and beyond. Shifting towards infinitely recyclable materials like aluminium and keeping these materials in circulation by recycling is something we can all do to progress towards a truly circular economy, and to meet the aims of this pivotal Summit in Glasgow”, said Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central.

An ideal backdrop for selfies and quite a spectacle for photos, the rainbow managed to get tens of people to capture it with their cameras. At the same time, visitors had the chance to win a £100 shopping voucher and a £500 donation to an environmental charity of their choice. The winner selected South Seeds, a community organisation based in South Central Glasgow that works to enable local residents to lead more sustainable lives.

But that’s not all. The #EveryCanCounts rainbow installation was also featured prominently by leading newspapers and media, such as The Times, Glasgow Times, and Glasgow World.

  • adminEirini

Every Can Counts UK Celebrates Recycle Week 2021
Every Can Counts UK Celebrates Recycle Week 2021 1920 1080 adminEirini

Recycle Week 2021 takes place from 20th – 26th September in the UK, and Every Can Counts UK is celebrating by partnering with City of London Corporation to bring the iconic #EveryCanCounts Rainbow installation to the heart of the capital. The eye-catching rainbow archway, created from over 2,500 recycled cans, will be on display in Carter Lane Gardens outside St Paul’s Cathedral from Thursday 16th September until Thursday 23rd.

The installation aims to inspire more people to recycle their empty cans by highlighting the environmental benefits delivered through can recycling.

In the first three months of this year, the total volume of domestic recycling collected in the City of London was up by nearly 10 tonnes on 2020, as lockdown restrictions made it easier for people to recycle at home. However, Every Can Counts UK’s own research suggests that seven in 10 of those in London say they have noticed more litter over the past year, and most of these people believe this is as a direct result of the pandemic.

67% of those surveyed say they take packaging home to recycle if there aren’t recycling facilities in public places, with nearly eight in 10 (78%) claiming that they would recycle more while out and about if there were a greater number of recycling bins.

Chris Latham-Warde, Programme Manager for Every Can Counts UK, said:

“You couldn’t really pick a more iconic London location than right in front of St Paul’s Cathedral. And the workmanship that’s gone into the installation really is quite impressive.

“The rainbow is our way of reminding people about the importance of recycling cans at a time when the environment is on the agenda, ahead of Recycle Week and in the lead-up to the UN Climate Change Conference.

“Recycling an empty drink can is a small thing that each of us can do for the benefit of the environment, and these small actions all add up. Not only are drink cans endlessly recyclable, but making a can from recycled metal uses 95% less energy and produces 95% less greenhouse gas emissions. We’re here to raise awareness of these significant benefits and inspire more people to make a difference by doing the right thing with their empty cans.

“In 2020, a record four out of five drink cans sold in the UK were recycled, as we spent much of the year locked down at home with easy access to recycling bins. We now want to keep this up as things return to normality, and our goal at Every Can Counts is to continue making progress towards a 100% recycling rate for drink cans.”

From Thursday 23rd, the installation will be taken directly to Birmingham, the country’s second largest city, where it will be on display for the remainder of Recycle Week. The installation’s time in Birmingham city centre will coincide with the Birmingham Pride event – giving the rainbow extra relevance and an opportunity to remind the large crowds celebrating Pride to do the right thing and recycle their empty cans. 

  • adminEirini

The Every Can Counts One Minute Brief
The Every Can Counts One Minute Brief 2560 1280 adminEirini

Our programme in the UK partnered up with One Minute Briefs, challenging Twitter users with the following design brief: 

Create posters that highlight the infinite recyclability of drink cans and inspire people to do the right thing with their empties. #EveryCanCounts 

The one-day challenge got more than 200 entries! Twitter users submitted their unique designs and sketches. Each one of them highlighted aluminium as a permanent material, and the environmental benefits of drink can recycling. 

There were so many gems among the submissions that picking the top 3 designs was no easy task for the Every Can Counts UK team.

The winners list:

1st place: @rowan_softley

This design ticks all of our boxes! It’s creative, clever, and it communicates the benefits of can recycling in a simple but really effective way.

2nd place: @jackhally

What better than a classic movie reference to help bring the recycling story to life? This minimal design is subtle but it really makes an impact. Great work.

3rd place: @StuartWitts

A clever design that both grabs attention and clearly illustrates the timelessness of a recycled drink can. Nice one Stuart!

Honorable mentions:

  • OBM entry: @mideascreative
  • OBM entry: @shaneohare13

  • OBM entry: @hitmakecopygood

  • OBM entry: @jackhally

  • OBM entry: @testkrofatter
  • OBM entry: @hannahhaworth15
  • OBM entry: @huliogeordio80

However, the submissions’ list doesn’t end here. Feeling inspired? Take a look at the collection with all the entries. 

Every can counts and by recycling your empties you leave a positive impact on the planet saving valuable energy and resources. Spreading the message was the purpose of the brief and, ultimately, it was creatively achieved!

  • PedroUK

The Every Can Counts Rainbow Arrives in Brighton
The Every Can Counts Rainbow Arrives in Brighton 2560 1707 PedroUK

As part of a partnership between Every Can Counts and Brighton & Hove City Council, we’ve constructed a giant rainbow archway comprising 2,000 recycled drinks cans on the Brighton Beach seafront.

Created as a tribute to key workers and to raise awareness about the importance of recycling, the four-metre-high installation aims to tackle litter and promote the infinite recyclability of aluminium drink cans. The cans have been supplied by Go Green, a charitable can recycling initiative managed by the Emily Jordan Foundation, which prevents metal packaging from going to landfill and provides meaningful day opportunities to people with learning disabilities and complex needs.

Chris Latham-Warde, Every Can Counts UK Programme Manager, commented: “We’ve created this rainbow archway as a tribute to the infinite good that has been done by key workers across the country during the coronavirus pandemic. We owe so much to them for their continued work on the frontline to keep us safe and well and, of course, it’s thanks to them that we’ve been able to keep recycling.

“We hope this tribute will inspire people to do infinite good in their own lives – and we’d like to suggest that looking after the environment by recycling your empty drink cans is a great place to start. Because drink cans recycle forever, the benefits of putting them in the right bin keep adding up – so playing your part in keeping the cycle going makes a real difference.”

Caroline Lucas, Member of Parliament for Brighton Pavilion, added: “It’s wonderful to see the Every Can Counts initiative in Brighton highlighting the importance of recycling valuable aluminium cans. I’m looking forward to seeing the giant rainbow of recycled cans, which will serve both as a great eye-catching sculpture for the campaign and as a celebration of the service of key workers during this pandemic. There will be roaming recycling ambassadors to speak to people about the campaign and a photo competition with the rainbow so do head down and see what it’s all about!”

Councillor Amy Heley, joint chair of Brighton & Hove City Council’s Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee, concluded: “Our city’s beautiful open spaces have been a much-needed respite for many residents during the lockdown, especially the beach. The downside has been the staggering amount of litter that has been generated. It’s taken a lot of hard work from our teams to keep our beach and parks clean. There are plenty of litter and recycling bins along the seafront so there’s no excuse for leaving a mess.

“We hope the rainbow helps to remind everyone how important it is to look after our beach and recycle more, especially when out and about. Our current recycling rate is still only 29.4% and a city like Brighton & Hove needs to do much, much better. We’ve installed more than 170 multi-coloured triple bins on the seafront where people can recycle cans, paper, cardboard and glass, as well as bin their litter. And if you can’t find a bin, please take your recycling home to put in your household collection.”

Alongside the installation, we’ve created pavement graffiti and positioned a number of posters and billboards along the seafront. Over the bank holiday weekend, a team of Every Can Counts recycling ambassadors will be on-site to showcase the exhibition and roam busy beach areas to educate and inspire visitors to do the right thing with their empty drink cans.

  • PedroUK

The Every Can Counts Rainbow Arrives in Brighton
The Every Can Counts Rainbow Arrives in Brighton 2560 1707 PedroUK

We’ve created an inspirational art installation on Brighton’s seafront

As part of a partnership between Every Can Counts and Brighton & Hove City Council, we’ve constructed a giant rainbow archway comprising 2,000 recycled drinks cans on the Brighton Beach seafront.

Created as a tribute to key workers and to raise awareness about the importance of recycling, the four-metre-high installation aims to tackle litter and promote the infinite recyclability of aluminium drink cans. The cans have been supplied by Go Green, a charitable can recycling initiative managed by the Emily Jordan Foundation, which prevents metal packaging from going to landfill and provides meaningful day opportunities to people with learning disabilities and complex needs.

Chris Latham-Warde, Every Can Counts UK Programme Manager, commented: “We’ve created this rainbow archway as a tribute to the infinite good that has been done by key workers across the country during the coronavirus pandemic. We owe so much to them for their continued work on the frontline to keep us safe and well and, of course, it’s thanks to them that we’ve been able to keep recycling.

“We hope this tribute will inspire people to do infinite good in their own lives – and we’d like to suggest that looking after the environment by recycling your empty drink cans is a great place to start. Because drink cans recycle forever, the benefits of putting them in the right bin keep adding up – so playing your part in keeping the cycle going makes a real difference.”

Caroline Lucas, Member of Parliament for Brighton Pavilion, added: “It’s wonderful to see the Every Can Counts initiative in Brighton highlighting the importance of recycling valuable aluminium cans. I’m looking forward to seeing the giant rainbow of recycled cans, which will serve both as a great eye-catching sculpture for the campaign and as a celebration of the service of key workers during this pandemic. There will be roaming recycling ambassadors to speak to people about the campaign and a photo competition with the rainbow so do head down and see what it’s all about!”

Councillor Amy Heley, joint chair of Brighton & Hove City Council’s Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee, concluded: “Our city’s beautiful open spaces have been a much-needed respite for many residents during the lockdown, especially the beach. The downside has been the staggering amount of litter that has been generated. It’s taken a lot of hard work from our teams to keep our beach and parks clean. There are plenty of litter and recycling bins along the seafront so there’s no excuse for leaving a mess.

“We hope the rainbow helps to remind everyone how important it is to look after our beach and recycle more, especially when out and about. Our current recycling rate is still only 29.4% and a city like Brighton & Hove needs to do much, much better. We’ve installed more than 170 multi-coloured triple bins on the seafront where people can recycle cans, paper, cardboard and glass, as well as bin their litter. And if you can’t find a bin, please take your recycling home to put in your household collection.”

The Every Can Counts rainbow archway will remain in situ on Brighton & Hove’s seafront between the Upside Down House and i360 until 14th September.

Alongside the installation, we’ve created pavement graffiti and positioned a number of posters and billboards along the seafront. Over the bank holiday weekend, a team of Every Can Counts recycling ambassadors will be on-site to showcase the exhibition and roam busy beach areas to educate and inspire visitors to do the right thing with their empty drink cans.

  • PedroUK

CanMail Summer 2020 is here!
CanMail Summer 2020 is here! 1280 720 PedroUK

Read our latest newsletter to find out about the latest Every Can Counts UK activities and how we’re rising to the challenges of the COVID-19 era.

Read CanMail Summer 2020 online here

  • PedroUK

‘THANK YOU FRONTLINERS’ COLOURING COMPETITION
‘THANK YOU FRONTLINERS’ COLOURING COMPETITION 1920 1920 PedroUK

Thank you to everyone who took part and congratulations to our winner Adrian Chiappe!

Watch our compilation video and take a look at some of the fantastic designs we received:

  • PedroUK

#CANdunk Challenge – The Winning Videos
#CANdunk Challenge – The Winning Videos 8000 8000 PedroUK

Thank you everyone who got involved with our #CANdunk challenge, it’s been a lot of fun! 

We had a great time watching all of your entries and we’re now excited to announce the winners in our 3 prize categories:

Congratulations to all of you!  We hope you enjoy a well-deserved stay-at-home feast with your £100 Just Eat prize vouchers.

Watch our video below to see the winning entries:

For more #CANdunk action, check out this compilation of some of the other amazing videos we received:

Thank you all for getting creative and recycling in style!  Keep making your cans count!

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