Boris Johnson’s COP26 spokeswoman, Allegra Stratton, has said that people should freeze leftover bread, order shampoo in cardboard packaging and not rinse plates before putting them in the dishwasher.
It might all be useful information but she didn’t mention whether flying to Cornwall in a private plane, like the PM did for the G7 Summit, should be banned.
At the time Piers Morgan said: “Nothing says ‘greener’ more than you flying to Cornwall from London to discuss how to reduce the globe’s carbon footprint…”
She also failed to highlight that Johnson has “almost always voted against measures to prevent climate change” as an MP, as the parliamentary vote tracking website TheyWorkForYou point out.
London flooding
This week London mayor Sadiq Khan said recent flooding in the capital shows “the dangers of climate change are now moving closer to home”.
The capital saw nearly a month’s worth of rainfall on Sunday with homes, roads and Tube stations flooded, while a flooded hospital cancelled all surgery and outpatient appointments on Monday due to the heavy rain.
Mr Khan is holding a meeting with councils, Transport for London, the London Fire Brigade and Environment Agency on Tuesday to see how flooding can be prevented and its impact reduced.
COP26
Writing in The Telegraph, Ms Stratton says: “Did you know, according to COP26 principal partner Reckitt, who make Finish, you don’t really need to rinse your dishes before they go into the dishwasher?
“Does your brand of plastic bottle shower gel come as a bar in cardboard packaging? I bet it does. It might be freezing half a loaf of bread when you get it home, to get out later in the week, rather than throwing half of it away when it goes mouldy.
“It could be walking to the shops, not driving. Micro-steps maybe, but all the more achievable because of it.”
She responded to some of the comments to her plans on Twitter.
Ok, I know I’ve caused rows btw couples but ntl… for the ?: you know you don’t *need* to rinse b4 stacking in d’washer? Before #cop26 choose ONE thing to save carbon + cash #onestepgreener Clearly COP26 is about big stuff: coal cars + forests. But lots of micro makes macro too https://t.co/j7Nxc6L3ZS
— Allegra Stratton (@AllegraCOP26) July 27, 2021
Reactions
Here’s what people had to say:
1.
.@kevinhollinrake @BorisJohnson
— Ros Hutchinson (@ros_hutchinson) July 27, 2021
How much are we paying Allegra Stratton for these pearls of wisdom? pic.twitter.com/naEJY1WvHY
2.
Johnson’s COP26 spokesperson Allegra Stratton says help the environment by not rinsing dishes before you put them in the dishwasher. Probably one of those people who can’t conceive that millions of us don’t have dishwashers.
— Briefcase Michael (@BriefcaseMike) July 27, 2021
(Telegraph oddly calls her a “spokesman”). #r4today
3.
This is absolute comedy gold.https://t.co/sBRTTzpXxL
— Paul Ovenden ??????? (@OvePM) July 24, 2021
4.
From what I can observe Allegra Stratton is being paid 100k pa to tell you not to rinse your dishes
— Ed (@ed_prior) July 27, 2021
5.
Since missing out on playing White House at Downing Street Allegra Stratton has been redeployed by The Bourgeoise Crisis Centre. https://t.co/k3wqo9Mtls
— Gyll King (@GyllKing) July 27, 2021
Related: Reaction to “revolving door” appointment of Allegra Stratton as new press secretary