It’s almost July so I wanted to talk about the eco-movement: plastic-free July! I’ve previously talked about the importance of reducing the use of plastic in our everyday lives, but today, I’m here to explain everything you need to know about the “Plastic- Free July” campaign and what we can do as individuals to reduce our reliance on plastic, especially our consumption of single-use plastic.
ABOUT PLASTIC-FREE JULY
Plastic-Free July is a global movement that encourages people to reduce or eliminate their plastic usage during July. It’s a great opportunity for individuals to reflect on their purchasing habits and make permanent changes to reduce the amount of plastic they use in their daily lives.
The movement began back in 2011 when Rebecca Prince-Ruiz and a group of Western Australian Government officials launched the first Plastic Free July campaign. Today, it has millions of participants around the world in various countries – who would have thought?!
In 2017, the Plastic Free Foundation Ltd was established as a non-profit, independent organisation. The foundation’s core belief is that small changes can make a significant impact, a sentiment that’s hard to disagree with, even though many people believe their actions have little to no effect.
Start your plastic-free journey today
The website offers simple and practical solutions to help you eliminate a wide range of everyday items, offering plastic-free alternatives such as swapping glitter with confetti made out of dried leaves and opting for paper straws or reusable ones made from metal, glass, or bamboo for children’s parties, to swapping plastic bin liners and instead lining the bin with a few sheets of newspaper, flyers or scrap paper, using the bin as a ‘naked bin’, and simply washing it out as needed (and to ward off extra smells by wrapping the “icky” stuff in newspaper/scrap paper first) – to learn more about Plastic Free July and how you can get involved, you can visit the official website.
There’s no doubt about it: Plastic Free July is changing the planet for good. The organisation has been awarded plenty of environmental awards over the years and has proven to have reduced global demand by 2.3% of all bottled water, 3.1% of all fruit and vegetable packaging, and 4.0% of all plastic straws. That’s quite an achievement in just 11 years!
It’s therefore vital that we all participate and take action in the Plastic Free July movement, as doing so, has countless benefits:
Reducing plastic pollution
Since the first fully synthetic plastic in 1907 was introduced, humans have produced such incredible amounts of plastic that “the planet is now drowning in it”, so it comes as no surprise that it is predicted that by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean.
Plastic pollution is a significant environmental problem that poses risks to ecosystems, wildlife, and human health. By actively reducing your plastic usage, you contribute to mitigating this issue and helping protect the environment.
“ALTHOUGH PLASTIC SERVES MANY USEFUL PURPOSES, ITS RAPIDLY GROWING PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION, COUPLED WITH A LACK OF CIRCULAR APPROACHES – KEEPING PLASTIC IN THE ECONOMY AND OUT OF THE ENVIRONMENT – AND THE EXTENSIVE LEAKING OF MICROPLASTICS INTO NATURE, ALL CONSTITUTE AND URGENT ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY.”
UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMME “DROWNING IN PLACTICS” REPORT
While Plastic Free July serves as a specific month-long campaign, the goal is to cultivate lasting changes in behaviour and mindset regarding plastic consumption throughout the year. Participating in Plastic Free July can help you establish sustainable habits that extend beyond the month itself. By consciously reducing your plastic usage and finding alternatives, you can develop long-term practices that benefit the planet and inspire others to do the same.
Raising awareness
Taking part in Plastic Free July helps raise awareness about the global plastic pollution crisis. It encourages conversations and educates others about the detrimental impacts of single-use plastics, prompting them to reconsider their own consumption habits.
Influencing businesses and policies
Consumer choices and demand play a crucial role in influencing businesses and policies. By actively participating in Plastic Free July and choosing plastic-free options, you send a message to companies and policymakers that there is a demand for more sustainable practices and products. This can drive businesses to adopt greener alternatives and prompt policymakers to implement stricter regulations on plastic usage.
Personal responsibility and empowerment
Engaging in Plastic Free July empowers individuals to take responsibility for their own environmental impact. It encourages mindful consumption, fosters a sense of personal empowerment, and demonstrates that small actions can collectively make a big difference.
Encouraging sustainable alternatives
By actively seeking out and using sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics, you support the development and adoption of more environmentally friendly options. This helps drive innovation and promotes the availability of eco-friendly alternatives in the market.
THE ISSUE WITH PLASTIC
Plastic, the cheap, versatile, and multipurpose material that dominates today’s fast-paced economy, has become a significant environmental issue. Pointless plastic packaging is overwhelming our food and everyday products, and single-use packaging has become the norm in retail, especially in UK supermarkets. Although plastics revolutionised our lives a few decades ago, they have created immense problems for future generations and the environment, with billions of tons of rubbish being deposited in landfills every year. Plastic packaging that’s not accepted by public recycling systems ends up in landfills and, in some cases, oceans, posing a significant public health hazard.
Plastic does not decompose
Many plastics can take hundreds of years to decompose if they decompose at all. Plastic waste is now considered to be one of the most significant public health and environmental issues of our time. Approximately 79% of all global plastic, including product packaging and shopping bags, ends up in landfills, washes into the ocean, or litters our streets and countryside. The amount of plastic entering our oceans is staggering – 22 million kgs every day, with an estimated 8 million metric tonnes of plastic entering our oceans annually.
This has a detrimental impact on marine life and ecosystems, with an estimated 60% of seabirds having plastic in them, and one million seabirds, turtles, and 1000 marine mammals being killed by plastic pollution each year.
Plastic bottles are one of the worst offenders, with over a million sold every minute worldwide. The amount of bottled water consumed has skyrocketed, with over 2,988 million litres consumed in recent years.
To prevent plastic from ending up in landfills, one solution is to avoid using plastic altogether or reuse and refill the plastic containers you already have.
As the amount of plastic being used continues to grow, it’s vital that we all find ways to reduce our plastic consumption and take steps towards a healthier, sustainable future.
What are the Best Alternatives to Plastic?
Refill, REPLACE & REUSE
Refilling and reusing are sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic because they help reduce waste, conserve resources, and minimize environmental impacts. Refilling enables consumers to fill their own reusable bottle or containers with products, or pay for one of these in store and bring it back for a refill when they’re ready for more.
By refilling and replacing items with reusable ones, rather than using plastic products and disposing of them after a single use, we can reduce the overall waste stream and minimize the amount of plastic ending up in landfills or polluting natural environments.
Related – REFILL & RE-USE IN THE UK – CUTTING BACK ON POINTLESS PACKAGING
SUSTAINABLE PLASTIC ALTERNATIVES:
It’s important to note that each alternative has its own advantages and limitations, and the most suitable alternative depends on the specific use. Transitioning away from plastic often involves a combination of these alternatives and an overall reduction in plastic consumption.
Metal
Metal containers, such as stainless steel or aluminium, are reusable and recyclable alternatives to plastic. Stainless steel is tough and easy to clean, stainless steel options for reusable food and beverage storage have multiplied in recent years. You can replace single-use cups, kitchen storage, lunch boxes, and more with this durable metal.
Glass
While not biodegradable, glass is inert, non-toxic, inexpensive and infinitely recyclable, but it is heavier and more fragile than plastic. Since many food items come packaged in glass, upcycling glass jars into food storage is a no-cost way to give your food packaging new life.
Paper & Cardboard
Years ago, before the widespread introduction of plastic, many things were packaged in plain paper.
Ancient China is credited for innovations in developing paper; historians believe that in the first or second centuries, the Chinese began to use treated mulberry bark to wrap foods using flexible paper packaging. The use of paper and products like cardboard, paperboard, shipping sacks, and paper bags, for packaging began as early as 1817, however today paper is becoming a popular alternative to plastic for packaging, bags, and disposable items.
While better than plastic, as it’s biodegradable, paper can’t be recycled infinitely because every time it’s reused, the fibres get shorter, limiting its use.
Many companies are now packaging their products in plain cardboard to cut down on waste. Cardboard boxes can also be used to replace storage containers in your home.
All paper, except the glossy kind, is safe to put in your home compost, whilst cardboard is fully compostable at home as long as it’s not coated in, you guessed it, plastic.
Platinum silicone
Platinum silicone is a type of silicone that uses only platinum (precious metal) as a catalyser, is not cured with peroxide, which is what standard and food-grade silicones are cured with. Made primarily of sand, platinum silicone is a durable and flexible material that is the ideal material for manufacturing molds or products that will come into contact with food.
It is often used for food storage containers, kitchen utensils, and reusable bags, and as it’s also heat tolerant, the containers can be used to boil, bake, and cook food without danger of denaturing. While it is not biodegradable, it doesn’t break down into microplastics over time and can be used as an alternative to single-use plastics.
Beeswax-coated cloth
Beeswax wraps are reusable wax alternatives used primarily as a replacement for plastic bags, single use cling film or tin foil. They are fabric coated in beeswax, which is flexible and adhesive – they are easy to use; simply scrunch the wrap which moulds and seals around food and bowls, the warmth of your hands will activate their sealing power. Use them to wrap sandwiches, snacks, fruit, veggies, cheese, or to cover bowls.
Suzstainable Beeswax Wraps are non-toxic, BPA and chemical free, simple to clean, are 100% biodegradable and can be composted at home. The natural antibacterial properties of beeswax and jojoba oil keeps food fresher than plastics therefore reducing food waste.
Pottery and Ceramics
Around for millennia, pottery and other fired ceramics offer a stable, waterproof alternative that’s great for food storage and tableware and last a lifetime! Although not biodegradable pottery and ceramics are often repurposed as gravel or crushed to be used in drainage and sewage systems and it’s possible to recycle broken ceramics to make new glazes, however, look for non-toxic glazes when buying pottery and ceramics.
Wood
A renewable resource, wood from sustainably-managed forests can replace plastic in household items like storage jars, kitchen utensils, cutting boards and cleaning brushes.
Natural Fibres
Natural fibres are plant fibres like cotton, hemp, jute, linen and bamboo. Woven fabrics with natural fibres can be used to make totebags, packaging, and can easily replace plastic bags, as can string or net bags which are great for small shopping trips or for visits to the farmer’s market.
These natural fibres are biodegradable and renewable, making them sustainable alternatives to plastic and they won’t shed plastic fibres (microfibres) when washed – they can also withstand the rough and tumble for several years.
Felted or recycled wool is also a versatile, safe, and compostable material that can be used for household containers, and more.
Bamboo
This fast-growing renewable resource can replace many plastic items such as tableware and drinking straws. It is lightweight, durable, and can be composted at the end of its life cycle.
Related – BAMBOO – A PLASTIC ALTERNATIVE
Bioplastics
Bioplastics are derived from renewable sources such as cornstarch, sugarcane, or cellulose. They can be biodegradable or compostable, depending on the type, and offer a more sustainable option compared to traditional plastics however, some require commercial composting facilities, which aren’t always available to the average consumer.
Plant-based alternatives
Today, various plant-based materials, such as bagasse (sugarcane waste), mushroom-based packaging, or even seaweed-based packaging, are being explored as alternatives to plastic. These materials are renewable, biodegradable, and have a lower environmental impact.
REDUCE YOUR PLASTIC CONSUMPTION AT HOME
As consumers, we hold the responsibility to leverage our buying power to send a message to producers that we will not continue to support single-use plastic packaging. By refusing to buy such products, we can prompt producers to offer more sustainable alternatives that align with our values.
While avoiding plastic can be a challenge, there are some simple changes we can all make to significantly reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in landfills. I’ve put together a few simple tips that you can start implementing straight away, from your own home:
- Buy Loose Fruit & Vegetables: Most plastic waste in the home comes from food packaging. Opt for loose fruit and vegetables when available.
- Stop Buying Plastic Drinks Bottles: Invest in a reusable water bottle and carry it with you to avoid buying bottled water or other drinks. Many refill points are available across the countries, plus if you’re based in the UK, you can just refill this at any tap.
- Avoid Takeaway Coffees: Disposable coffee cups are a major source of plastic waste. Consider sitting down in a cafe to enjoy your drink,or carry a reusable coffee cup with you. (The UK consumes 7 million disposable coffee cups every day!)
- Carry a Reusable Shopping Bag: Bring your own shopping bags instead of purchasing plastic ones. Even reusing your 10p bag would significantly reduce the amount of plastic waste generated in the UK
swapping plastic for eco-friendly alternatives
It’s not just about our habits and how much single-use plastic we waste though, it’s also about the plastic-containing items that we use on a daily basis that cannot be recycled. By swapping these for eco-friendly alternatives, we can contribute to a more sustainable future, protect the environment, and prioritize the well-being of both wildlife and humans.
I know just how hard it can be to start changing all those little thighs in your life (because, let’s be honest, plastic is literally everywhere!), which is why I’ve put together a series of brands you can purchase your eco-friendly alternatives from.
BRAND RECOMMENDATIONS
Leaf Shave
Leaf Shave has created a metal razor that is helping to put a stop to the 3 million plastic razors that end up in landfill each year.
Compared to traditional safety razors and modern disposable plastic razors, the Leaf Razor provides a closer and safer shave with fewer incidents of nicks and cuts. This metal razor boasts a single blade and was initially designed for men, but it can certainly be used by women as well. The company has since started producing metal derma planers and shaving soap bars too!
Suzstainable readers can get an exclusive 10% off by simply entering this discount code at the checkout: SUZSTAINABLE10
Kuishi
Kuishi is a company that is helping people and businesses move away from single-use plastics to refillable soap dispensers and holders to help minimise plastic waste and be more conscious of the products they use. Their glass brown bottles come in various shapes and ergonomic designs in a variety of sizes, they’re suitable for commercial and business use, but they’re also perfect for single-refills and products in your bathroom, kitchen and bedroom at home. You can get a 10% discount on your first purchase by just adding the code welcome2022 at the checkout!
Lochtree
Lochtree is a US-based company is building a marketplace and community that promote positive environmental change and provide high-quality, convenient eco-friendly products. Here you can find plastic-free toothpaste, razors, dental floss and even home products such as bamboo bandages, reusable snack bags and sugarcane straws.
I’m particularly loving their natural roll-on deodorants completely aluminium-free that work wonderfully for all skin types, including people with sensitive skin and the packaging is a recyclable cardboard tube!
Anything But Plastic
This UK-based marketplace is exactly what it sounds like: a place where you can buy anything, but plastic. Their products vary from bathroom, household and lifestyle so you can be sure to find exactly what you’re looking for.
My recommendation is to try their natural rubber seed trays for your gardening days, I’m loving them!
SURI
You might have seen this already on social media, but I’m loving my new sonic electronic toothbrush from Suri, that delivers a truly exceptional clean for the teeth with a minimal impact on our planet, contrary to plastic toothbrushes!
The brush heads are made from plant-based corn starch and the bristles are made from castor oil, which means these toothbrushes are bio-based and reduce the reliance on petroleum-based plastics.
Furthermore, Suri will recycle the heads for free in the UK and US, if you just send them back to them.
The body of the brush is made from aluminium, which makes it long-lasting and easily recycled, but you’re most likely to keep the same one for years before changing it. So, in the long run, this toothbrush is saving not only waste to end up in landfill but your money too! Plus, the brand is currently waiting to get its own B Corp approval. You can shop their capsule collection here.
Eco Roots
Eco Roots is a US-based eco-friendly brand is focusing its attention on all things plastic-free when it comes to personal care as well as home. From natural deodorants to shampoo bars, dish soap bars and even plastic-free lip balms, they have it all!
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