Ah, Plastic Free July. That time when we go to picnics, beach outings, and lots of gatherings, and awkwardly notice how much stuff is packaged in plastic. But... what is it, why do we keep talking about it, and what does it mean to me?
Plastic Free July is a movement that originated in Australia in 2011 and has since become a global phenomenon. It's a way to bring awareness to the plastic pollution crisis, and bring ideas and resources to help individuals avoid single-use plastics. They put together an annual challenge for the month of July to see how many single-use plastics you can identify and eliminate, and a network of individuals who can help inspire!
On a personal note, Plastic Free July in 2018 was the spark that started it for me. I have to admit - I completely ignored it and did nothing during the month of July to reduce my plastic use. All I did was look around and realize where plastic was, and how I had not truly seen or noticed it before. It was August 2018 when I laid down the challenge to myself - do a week's worth of grocery shopping without plastic. It wasn't meant to up-end my life or be a crazy burden, I just was curious if I could do it.
Spoiler alert!! I couldn't. I walked out of the store that day with a dozen eggs, a baguette, and a little produce. In August. So the next time I went to the store, I went back to shopping normally, but I looked for the options that weren't in plastic. Maybe the condiments came in glass, or I could get the carrots loose instead of bagged. Simple swaps, made one at a time. And then 1 became 2, which quickly turned to 3, and so on.
If nothing else, let Plastic Free July help you truly see the plastic garbage that you're buying at the store, and start to think about it. Maybe bring your dish soap bottle in and refill it this month. If you've already started down the path to reduce plastics, come in the store and take a look for your next swap. And if it isn't July, that's great, too.
Intro Video: https://youtu.be/ByayHG5CscE
It's As Easy As This: https://youtu.be/V0PC8Mn4yNQ