Did You Participate in Plastic Free July?
Whether you began at the start of the month or will do a bit to acknowledge the cause, Plastic-Free July is an opportunity to become more aware of consumption and waste habits. We can live more sustainable lifestyles to improve the environment.
What is Plastic-Free July?
This is an awareness month from the Plastic Free Foundation. Participants commit to swapping disposables for reusables such as coffee cups, menstrual products, cleaning supplies, decorations, laundry items and soaps. Reduce the purchase of new items, disposables, and things designed with planned obsolescence or flimsy quality.
The Impact
In 2022, almost 90% of participants made “at least one lasting conscious change.” This choice reduced household waste and recycling by 4.1%, according to the Impact Report 2022. What will be the result in 2023? Time will tell.
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Make a difference and stop using flimsy disposables like plastic produce bags. Image: Unsplash
Awareness and Achievable Changes
We can only do what is possible and accessible. Households are on tighter budgets. Some locations do not receive access to eco-friendly physical stores or fast shipping of sustainable products. That being said, there is something we can do almost anywhere.
What You Can Do
We can make small changes at any time of the year. Buy products that do not contain plastic components or packaging. When you need to buy something that includes plastic, find ways to reuse and repurpose the materials. Store bits and pieces (the random little things in the home) in old food containers. If you buy a bottle of juice, repurpose it before recycling.
Buy plastic-free products
There are plenty of ways to find plastic-free foods, supplies and reusables. Shop at a bulk store or section. Buy produce that is not wrapped in plastic. It’s even better if you can avoid the little stickers. Get the ‘zero-waste’ products when you can afford them. Try stainless steel pegs, wooden brushes, and safety razors. Try switching to eco-supplies such as sustainable toilet paper and natural bandages. Online stores will include specialty items and smaller brands. However, mainstream supermarkets also provide alternatives. This is useful for when you need something sooner.
Avoid plastic disposables
See where you can avoid single-use plastics in everyday life. This includes the obvious ones. If there is time, sit down for a nice mug of coffee instead of accepting takeaway. Skip the plastic cutlery. If you need a knife and fork that you can throw away, get some bamboo or wooden ones from the supermarket. Or take washable ones on the go. See how you can thrive without single-use bottled water. Do you ever buy sushi and realise it comes with a little fish-shaped soy sauce container? I would rather skip the extra flavouring, as tasty as it would be, instead of using something that would be tossed in the garbage immediately afterward. Meanwhile, stop using plastic produce bags. They are not necessary. You can buy natural, reusable bags for the fruit and veg. I usually just put the food straight into a basket or trolley. Why wrap it in anything? When we become consciously aware of the unnecessary disposables in everyday life, we can make informed decisions about whether we use them or not.
Choose reusables
Glass food containers often have a plastic lid. Some will have bamboo lids, but I wonder how long the bamboo will last. Modern cloth nappies usually have a PUL waterproof outer shell. However, they are said to reduce the environmental impact compared with single-use nappies.
Do what you can to bring a shopping bag instead of accepting one with some planned obsolescence. I try to keep a coffee cup even more than a drink bottle because it prevents the temptation to use throw-away cups. It can hold water and hot drinks, so that’s more versatility and less space in a bag. Or bring it with a bottle.
Select things that contain less plastic.
Sometimes we need an item containing some plastic, and there is no fully plastic-free option. For example, eco-disposable nappies have less plastic than mainstream brands. According to their website, Tooshies commits to reducing plastic and contributes to the Waste Revolution. There are packs of apples in the supermarket, where they at least have a cardboard carton instead of a plastic box. These choices aren’t as absolute as Plastic-Free July. But they are steps in a better direction.
Spread the word about reducing plastic.
Tell friends about your sustainable choices. Share it with the world if you want. You can create a greater impact by encouraging others to reduce their plastic use. Make it positive and accessible. If you can do it, others also can.
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You can reduce the plastics that end up in the environment. Image: Unsplash
