Plastic Free July
Plastic Free July has arrived, inspiring us to take positive steps to help the environment by reducing our plastic waste.
Plastic Free July is an annual campaign, founded in Australia by the Plastic Free Foundation. It provides resources and ideas to help you (and millions of others around the world) reduce single-use plastic waste every day at home, work, school, and at local cafes and restaurants. So far, it has inspired 100+ million participants in 190 countries.
Why don’t you join the movement this year? The good news is anyone can get involved by making small changes or really challenge themselves. Here are a few tips that could help you along the way:
Avoid excessive food packing by changing your shopping habits: buy loose fruit and veg rather than pre-packaged alternatives.
Bulk buy and visit refill shops: stock up on items in a way that does not use single-use plastic by bringing your own reusable produce bags, containers, and glass jars.
Carry reusable shopping bags or keep a foldaway in your normal day bag, or by your front door.
Get your milk delivered in glass bottles – which are then collected and reused.
To keep food fresh, use beeswax wrap as an alternative to cling film and plastic food bags or purchase reusable silicone bowl toppers to cover food in bowls, pots and pans. You can also get crafty by using an upside-down plate or reusable cloth cover.
Carry a reusable cup with you. Did you know 2.5 billion coffee cups are used and discarded annually in the UK? Only 0.25% of these cups, or less than 1 in 400, are recycled. Some cafes even offer discounts if you use your own cup.
Say no to disposable plastic cutlery when you are at a café or train station. Keep cutlery in your desk at work.
Carry a reusable bottle. In the UK we use over 35 million plastic bottles every day!
Use plastic free teabags or give loose leaf tea a go.
Give up gum – interesting fact to chew over: in the UK, we are the second biggest consumers of gum in the world, chewing an estimated 130 sticks per person each year. There are plastic free alternatives on the market.
Refuse disposable razors in favour of stainless-steel options with replaceable blades. More expensive to buy to start with, they are more cost-effective in the long run.
Ban glitter and plastic balloons from your parties in exchange for eco-friendly, biodegradable glitter and decorations that can be reused time and time again.
Switch from shower gel to bars of soap. Some people also go one step further and check the ingredients of the soap to ensure they are of free palm oil, a large contributor to deforestation.