Why Plastic Free July is worth it
Plastic Free July began in 2011 as a local initiative by the Plastic Free Foundation, based in Perth. It challenges individuals, households, schools and businesses to refuse single-use plastics for the month of July (and hopefully, beyond).
Participants have significantly reduced household waste and contributed to avoiding billions of kilograms of plastic waste globally, and it’s grown into one of the most influential environmental campaigns in the world.
It’s helped to:
- Reduce household waste by 15 – 20% on average.
- Avoid 12.8 billion kilograms (12.8 million tonnes) of waste over six years.
- Discover long-term, sustainable alternatives to everyday plastics.
Did you know?
WA has high plastic consumption
Despite our wide-open spaces and love for nature, Western Australians use more single-use plastic per capita than many other parts of the world. Plastic Free July helps us all to reduce that statistic.
Local wildlife is at risk
Plastic waste often ends up in the Swan River or along our coast, where turtles, seabirds and marine life can mistake it for food. Reducing plastic directly protects our local ecosystems.
Landfill and recycling systems are under pressure
According to some environmental reports, only around 16% of plastic in Australia gets recycled. The rest is either sent to landfill, incinerated or escapes into the environment. Reducing our use of plastic is far more effective than recycling.
Let’s get started
So, where can you begin? Well, you can start small or set yourself a bit of a challenge. Here are some common plastic items and their alternatives.
- Single-use plastic water bottles: Invest in a reusable water bottle – this will also save money on buying water when you can get it free from the tap at home – win-win!
- Take-away coffee cups and lids: Consider taking a reusable coffee cup when you buy a coffee – some cafés even give you a discount if you bring your own. If you forget your cup, you could ‘go topless’ (don’t panic – it’s just refusing the plastic lid!).
- Plastic cotton buds: Bamboo cotton buds work just as well as the plastic versions.
- Plastic containers for food storage: Grab some glass or metal containers instead; or use any glass jars that you’ve emptied. They are durable, reusable, and don’t leach harmful chemicals into your food.
- Shampoo and conditioner: Another easy swap you can make is using a bar of soap and shampoo bars instead of the liquid versions that come in plastic bottles. The bars usually have minimal or recyclable packaging and last longer, saving money as a bonus.
- Tea bags: Did you know that some tea bags contain plastic? Switching to loose-leaf tea is a fantastic alternative.
- Plastic wrap: Beeswax wraps or silicone food covers are an excellent replacement for plastic cling film when it comes to covering food – and being reusable they’ll save money in the process.
Know your bins
Get to know exactly what goes into each recycling bin – and what doesn’t. Plastic Free July can also help us to realise which plastics are avoidable and which ones are trickier to recycle. This can also reduce ‘wish-cycling’ (when we put the wrong things in the recycling bin and hope for the best!).
Ready to take the plunge?
You can sign up at www.plasticfreejuly.org and choose your level of commitment:
- Avoid the top three single-use plastics (bags, bottles and coffee cups).
- Go completely plastic-free for the whole month.
- Or just focus on a few small swaps that suit your lifestyle.
As the saying goes, every little bit helps!
Source: plasticfreefoundation.org
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