YOUNGSTERS living in West Somerset have taken over an empty shop in Porlock in the run up to Christmas to invite change in their community.

While We Still Can, a group of dynamic 12 to 16-year-olds, is opening an unusual pop-up shop in the village’s High Street where rather than selling anything, it has been filled with 350 pieces of colourful single use plastic donated by residents. 

Curious customers will be invited to select a tailored pledge to break buying habits and reliance on single use plastics, such as avoiding throw-away coffee cups for six months, committing to take broken items to monthly Repair Cafes, or having a go at growing windowsill herbs or salad to avoid plastic-packaged items.

In return for each pledge, the group will remove one piece of plastic from the shop. 

During the course of its six-week opening, the group hopes all 350 pledges will be made and the shop will be emptied, thus becoming visibly ‘plastic free’.

Hence, the shop has been named ‘Down to Zero’.

Using verified statistics, the youngsters estimate Porlock residents throw away 350 pieces of single use plastic packaging every hour, every day.

The number also represents just over half of Porlock’s households, with whom the group would like to engage.

The pop up shop will open on Saturday (November 4) and will be run between 10 am and 4 pm every Saturday until December 9.

The final push to collect 350 pledges coincides with late night Shopping in Porlock, which promises to be an exciting evening in the village as the group encourages visitors to pledge, pledge, pledge.

‘Down to Zero’ customers will be welcomed each Saturday with tea and cake.

The project represents months of work with all the ideas stemming from the young people themselves.

Minna, aged 14, said: “We are so used to shopping and buying things made of plastic without a thought for how long these items will be around.

“We want people to visit our shop and take a moment to reflect.

“It is a really unusual shop, because rather than leaving with a product you leave with a promise you hope to keep instead.”

Lenny, aged 15, said: “I hear stories of the damage we are doing to the planet all the time.

“One hundred billion pieces of single use plastic are thrown away every year in the UK - this is our chance to act locally but think big, inviting others to join us in doing something positive for the environment.

“We want to wake people up in a novel way and help them develop new habits.”

Thirteen-year-old Yoshi said: “As part of our research, we have learned young people are the greatest influencers among family and friends when asking for change.

“I hope that is me.

“We really hope people will love our shop and come and talk to us.”

The project is supported by Stacked Wonky, a Porlock-based arts organisation, and Somerset Wildlife Trust.

Somerset Wilder Coast project manager Mark Ward said: “We are keen to unite the expertise of both organisations to help a group of bold, committed young people realise an exciting new idea from which we all might learn how action can be taken locally and what concerns them.”

Other partners include Exeter University, which is evaluating the project as a means to roll out similar initiatives in other parts of the Westcountry, and Horner Farm, a local sustainable family farm providing expertise.

Stacked Wonky artistic director Sarah Shorten said: “The project reflects the energy and ingenuity of young people living in West Somerset when applied to an issue that worries them, environmental and climate breakdown.

“‘Down to Zero’ is a really quirky yet impactful response to that worry.

“Embedded on the high street in Porlock, the shop will bring young people into direct conversation with their community about these issues in a fun and hopeful way.”

The group’s progress can be followed via Facebook (www.facebook.com/WWSCofficial), Twitter, and Instagram @WhileWeStillCan.

New members aged 12 to 18 are welcome to join the group by emailing [email protected].