What is Plastic Free July & how can you Join the Challenge?
Have you ever heard of Plastic Free July?
I actually have no idea how it got started, but to put it simply - Plastic Free July is a month-long social media challenge to rethink your household purchases and ultimately move away from items made of plastic. It may sounds daunting considering SO MANY THINGS are made with plastic, but I have good news! You don’t have to cut out everything at once!
So what’s the goal of Plastic Free July?
The goal of Plastic Free July is not to be perfect and never use a piece of plastic again - that would be incredibly unrealistic! Instead, use the challenge to reevaluate your everyday habits little by little. Choosing one habit to replace with another that’s more sustainable is a gradual process, but is likely to stick with you longer than trying to do everything all at once.
How do you start Plastic Free July?
I like to start by looking in my trashcan (stick with me here!). By looking in my trashcan I’m able to ask myself “what do I throw away the most of?” and see where I can improve my spending purchases. For example, if I notice I have a ton of Ziplock bags in my trashcan, then I can research how to cut down on my consumption of them. Now that’s just one example, but you get the idea.
Here are a few other easy ways you can participate in Plastic Free July this month:
Does your town have a local refillery?
Refillery’s usually have things from self care items like lotion to household cleaners & laundry detergent. In fact, mine even offers sunscreen which is pretty dang cool. If you have one nearby, check it out and shop local! If you don’t, I linked the local San Antonio refillery for you - they take online orders and can ship anywhere in the United States!
Look around your house and see what single use plastics you use the most.
For me, it was Ziplock plastic bags. I encourage you to research ways to replace which items you use the most, and try out what it recommends! There are so many sustainable and eco-friendly swaps available, and most of the ones I’ve used have not disappointed! For example, I swapped out my plastic bags with reusable silicone bags from Stasher Bags, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. The bags can be used in so many more ways than a Ziplock bag and can be reused over and over again.
Don’t forget to repurpose!
Just because it’s made of plastic doesn’t mean you should immediately throw away (or recycle) everything made of plastic. Try your best to use your items made of plastic (i.e. food storage containers, hand soap bottles, etc) as many times as possible. My personal goal is to use them until they have cracks and are pretty much broken. Plus when I reuse my items around the house I get to say hello to more money in the bank!
Shop in bulk!
Some grocery stores offer bulk containers for foods like nuts, dry pastas, trail mix, spices, and even candy. If you’re able try to shop in the bulk section to avoid the plastic packaging that many of these food items typically come in. I’ve noticed the price isn’t much different, and I store them in glass storage containers for an aesthetic pantry.
Don’t Give Up!
It can feel like a lot in the beginning, but as I mentioned, you don’t have to be perfect! If you’re able to even do one small thing to avoid a single use plastic, that’s enough! Be gentle on yourself when making changes to your lifestyle. How are you planning to take part in Plastic Free July?
XOXO,
Krys
