WHAT is your plastic free pledge?
What is Plastic Free July?
Plastic Free July is a global movement that was started back in 2011 by founder Rebecca Prince-Ruiz and a small team in local governement, over in WA.
It has evolved from a small environmental campaign to a global initiative, encouraging people worldwide to make the switch to plastic-free alternatives, during July.
Since 2019, it is estimated that 10bn kgs of waste, which includes 1.4bn kgs of plastic, has been avoided by people participating in Plastic Free July.
This commitment has seen an average reduction in 18kgs of waste per person equating to an overall 4.2 per cent decrease in waste generation.
Why should we make the changes?
Single-use plastic is a global issue, affecting every country and everyone. Due to humanity’s obsession with convienience, we seem to have overlooked, or in some cases ignored, its environmental impact.
For example, take the single-use coffee cup. The energy, time and cost it takes to produce a single cup versus the 15 minutes of use is not justified. Paper cups can take 20 -30 years to break down and are not easily recycled, especially in regional areas.
Switching to a reusable coffee cup is just one simple way to reduce your carbon footprint and make a huge dent in this ever increasing problem.
How can we take part?
Visit https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/ and follow Plastic Free July on socials for inspiration on how you can reduce your plastic consumption at home, the office or school.
Keep it simple, it may be easier than you think.
- Reuse what you have – repurpose and get inventive
- Refuse single use – produce bags, takeaway containers etc.
- Use reusable drink bottles – inexpensive and will save you money long-term
- Buy in bulk – avoid plastic packaging by buying in bulk
- Choose recyclable packaging when you can – glass and aluminium instead of plastic
Our ’10 ways to Reduce your Environmental Impact’ list is a great place to start, find our graphic on our socials.
Take the challenge – make the comitment to reduce your plastic use in your home or workplace! Make it fun and get competitive – it is all for a good cause.
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