Plastic Free July: 6 Tips for a Successful Plastic Free July

July is National Plastic Free July, a campaign to encourage people to reduce their use of single-use plastics. In the past few years, the world has seen an increase in plastic waste at an alarming pace, culminating in the #plasticpollution crisis we’re currently facing. The effects of this pollution are widespread: oceans are littered with plastic and marine species have started dying from it, many rivers and lakes are infected with microplastics that end up as toxic waste and eventually leach into groundwater and soil, increasing the chances of them becoming a public health risk.

In order to tackle this problem head-on and make positive changes in our everyday habits, we’ve created our own Plastic Free July challenge back in 2011. It was just a simple idea: what if we replaced all of our single-use plastics for one month? Would it make a difference? Would it be hard? Was it even possible? But what made us continue was how much support we got from others once we took the plunge.

What is Plastic Free July?

Plastic-free July is a global commitment to reduce plastic pollution in the month of July. People across the globe commit to reducing plastic waste in their daily lives, either through a small swap or through a complete plastic elimination. This is a challenge to reduce or eliminate the use of single-use plastics.

During Plastic Free July, you try to replace all plastic items with reusable ones for one month. This challenge can be done in both small and large ways, but either way, it’s important to focus on what is truly important to you. If you want to eliminate plastic from your life because you know how bad it is, you should do it.

If you want to make Plastic Free July more about how you feel about plastic; if you want to use it as an excuse to eat out more often, or to buy more organic foods, or to take more trips, then go ahead.

Also Read: Top 20 Zero Waste Products for Home

What's History Behind Plastic Free July?

Australian Rebecca Prince-Ruiz is the founder of this incredible movement. Plastic-free July was started in 2011, and with time, it has turned into a global movement wherein people try to cut down the use of plastic.

Why Is Plastic Free July Important?

Contrary to popular belief, plastic isn't just something that was invented recently. In fact, it has been around since the 1930s and was used as a material for a host of applications, including packaging and industry. But as we’ve become better at producing it, it's become a global problem. Plastic waste is a huge problem because it doesn’t easily break down. In fact, the World Economic Forum predicts that it will take 500 years for plastic waste to break down.

The quality of our oceans is suffering because of this, in turn harming wildlife and us, the people who depend on them for survival. We’re also realizing that plastic waste isn’t just an environmental issue; it’s also a health issue. A lot of plastic isn't meant to be eaten by microorganisms, animals, or humans.

As microplastics are often toxic, they end up in drinking water, seafood, and even in soil and groundwater, leaching into our bodies and causing harm to us and our ecosystems.

Also Read: Top 13 Eco-friendly Alternatives to Plastic

How to Prepare for a Successful Plastic-Free July

Before you start your challenge, make sure to gather all the plastic items you will replace during the challenge, as well as a list of what you will replace them with. You’ll also want to think about how you’re going to make your life more plastic-free if you don’t eliminate plastic from your life completely during July.

Are you going to drive less? Or take public transportation more often? Are you going to bike to work? Are you going to go grocery shopping in a reusable bag? There are tons of ways you can make your life more plastic-free and you should try to do at least one that will make a significant difference.

6 Tips to Celebrate a Successful Plastic-Free July

Remember that the goal of Plastic Free July isn’t to spend a month without any plastics. Instead, the goal is to reduce the amount you use while still having a basic level of functionality. Here's your guide to having a successful plastic-free July 2022.

1. Take a reusable shopping bag when you go shopping and bring your own reusable bags back home.

2. Give your reusable shopping bag a good wash with a detergent that removes waxes, oils, and artificial colors, such as the ones that come with our reusables.

3. If you’re going to eat out, ask the restaurant to pack your food in a reusable container. Many restaurants now offer this as an option. If not, bring your own container.

4. Cut down on the amount of water you use in your household and in the workplace, especially if you live in an area with drought problems or in a city where the water supply is polluted.

5. If you’re drinking bottled water, try switching to metal or copper bottles for a week or two before celebrating a successful Plastic-Free July.

6. Be prepared for what you’ll miss from your plastic-heavy lifestyles, such as sippy cups, plastic straws, or plastic utensils. Try to be as flexible as possible and make use of non-plastic alternatives like Eco-friendly products & more until you can make those changes.

Also Read: Top 30 Eco-friendly Products for Sustainable Living

8 Products for Avoiding Plastic

1. Hair Care Comb

Ditch your plastic comb and replace it with this one made of Coconut, Soy wax & Neem wood comb.

2. Eco-friendly Gift Hamper

This plastic-free gift hamper is one of the trending gifts. It includes a Banana fiber box, Daily Planner, Banana Fibre Envelopes, and much more.

3. Coconut Shell Soy Wax Candles

These are made from coconut shells and natural soy wax, infused with pure essential oils. Coconut Shell Candles are one of the best among all eco-friendly products.

4. Pen Stand and Coaster Set - Hexagon

This includes a handcrafted and hand-painted pen stand and a coaster set made from MDF wood.

5. Upcycled Coconut Shell Pushpa Planter

Gift hampers like these are amazing for gifting on any occasion. These cute planters also serve as excellent gifts for friends with green thumbs. This upcycled planter made from coconut shells comes with a jute stand to keep it steady.

6. Sustainable Festive Gift Combo Box

If you are wondering about How To Celebrate Eco-friendly Diwali then this hamper is just for you!

7. Eco-friendly Handmade Bamboo Cup & Saucer

Trending Gifts like these never go out of style! This one screams sustainability like never before.

8. Go Green Desk Organizer

This hamper includes all the work essentials, and they are all Zero Waste Products.

Conclusion

Whether you’re a seasoned environmental activist or just someone who wants to reduce plastic waste in your life, there’s no reason to let July go by without making a change. By using a reusable water bottle, bringing your own bags when shopping, and trying to limit the amount of bottled water you buy, you can make a true difference in your plastic use.

And don’t forget that there are tons of ways to get involved in Plastic Free July even if you don’t want to make it a full-on challenge. For example, you can attend a local beach clean-up, sign a petition, or host a Plastic Free July party where everyone wears a plastic-free shirt. Hope this plastic-free July is a huge success for you!

Frequently Asked Questions on Plastic Free July

Q. How can I participate in plastic-free July?

A. Start a plastic-free July. The best way to kick off your plastic-free July is to start with yourself. Cut down on plastic usage in your own life. Ask yourself, how many plastic water bottles do you use in a week? How many plastic bags do you use to go grocery shopping? How many plastic utensils and bowls do you use in a week? The more you can reduce the amount of plastic you use, the less plastic you have to cut down on when July rolls around.

Q. What is no plastic July?

A. No Plastic July is a movement that encourages people to reduce their consumption of all single-use plastic items during the month of July. This is an opportunity to learn about and explore new ways to live with less plastic in our everyday lives. No Plastic July encourages people to explore new ways to consume food, consume beverages, and use products without using plastic.

Q. What is the goal of Plastic Free July?

A. To inspire consumers to explore alternative options when it comes to their plastic consumption. The goal of Plastic Free July is to inspire people to explore new ways to consume food, beverages, and use products without using plastic. We aim to lower the amount of plastic waste that is produced and sent to landfills in July.

Q. How can you achieve the goal of Plastic Free July?

A. Use a reusable water bottle. Get into the habit of bringing a reusable water bottle to work with you. You can use the bottle to fill up your friends’ water bottles every day when you go out for lunch with them. Or, refill your own at the water cooler every day. By using a reusable water bottle, you can significantly reduce the amount of plastic waste that you send to landfills every week. Use cloth bags for groceries. Buy groceries in bulk to avoid plastic containers. Say No to plastic cutlery.

Q. What are the challenges of Plastic Free July?

A. The point is that we should reduce the amount of plastic waste that we produce and send to landfills every week. And because plastic is found in so many places in our lives, it can be hard to reduce plastic waste in every area of our lives. This means that the challenge for July is to get everyone engaged in the effort to reduce plastic waste.