We live in a plastic world. Plastic is present in every part of our day. The problem is that most of it is designed to be used briefly, but lasts forever. It’s disturbing when you realize that every toothbrush you have ever owned and every disposable coffee lid you’ve ever sipped from, still exists somewhere.
Since the 1950s, humans have produced more than 8 billion tons of plastic, and less than 10 percent of it has been recycled. As a result, most of this waste ends up in landfill or in the ocean, where it takes hundreds of years to break down. And it turns out those ‘biodegradable plastics’ are no better for the environment.
There is now so much plastic in the ocean that it is creating massive garbage patches.
For instance, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the largest accumulation of ocean plastic in the world and is located between Hawaii and California. It spans an area three times the size of France, containing 1.8 trillion pieces of mostly plastic debris, and it continues to grow.
Plastic in the ocean consequently has a terrible impact on marine life. It finds its way into the stomachs of fish, birds, and other sea creatures. Research conducted by EarthSky in February 2021 revealed that marine fish are ingesting plastic around the globe. According to the 129 scientific papers in their database, researchers have studied this problem in 555 fish species worldwide. More than two thirds of those species had ingested plastic. When we consume this seafood, we are ingesting these microplastics.
As a matter of fact, microplastics are everywhere; in the water, food and even air. One research review published in June calculated that just by eating, drinking and breathing, Americans ingest at least 74,000 microplastic particles every year.
But it’s not all gloom and doom. The zero-waste movement goes on every day — and if there's any time to get started, it's now. For the entire month of July, people all over the world will take part in Plastic Free July, a global challenge to reduce personal consumption of single-use plastic. With its conception in Australia in 2011, this movement has allowed millions of people to be part of the solution to plastic pollution.
The idea of not using any plastic for an entire month may sound impossible — and unfortunately, it essentially is. But that's not meant to be discouraging. It's meant to show that Plastic Free July isn't about perfection (and neither is the zero-waste movement), so don't let the fear of not being perfect hold you back from trying. Instead, it's all about reducing plastic in a way that works for your lifestyle while still challenging yourself.
With the world still facing the COVID-19 pandemic, it may be trickier than usual to avoid single-use plastic this July — and that's completely understandable. It's important to prioritize our health and safety above being zero-waste, so please don't be hard on yourself. But for instances when it is possible to use something reusable instead of something single-use, health experts do agree that reusables are just as safe as single-use items.
So….what exactly is the challenge?
On Plastic Free July's website, you can take a pledge to participate in a variety of ways. You can pledge to observe the challenge for just one day, one week, the entirety of July, or for July and beyond. You can also pledge to reduce your plastic in a few different ways: you can avoid single-use packaging, you can avoid the "big four" (plastic bags, water bottles, straws, and coffee cups), or you can aim to go completely plastic-free.
Additionally, you can pledge to making these changes on a personal level, at your work, at your school, at an upcoming event, in your community, or anywhere else you are involved.
Here are six tips that can help you to complete the challenge and fuel your new (sustainable) habits forever.
1. Use reusable cups & bottles
Avoiding plastic is not synonymous with avoiding coffee. There’s no need to kick your caffeine habit or dehydrate to avoid plastic. Reusable cups and bottles can serve as trendy accessories while you help save the planet.
2. Ditch the plastic bag when you shop
The reusable bag should be your best friend! While many supermarkets and grocery stores now encourage shoppers to bring their own bags, one of the most common places to forget them is when you’re shopping for clothes. A great way to make sure you’re never caught out is to always keep some compact bags tucked in your handbag or pocket.
3. Wrap your food in fabric
Make (and mind) your own beeswax fabric food wrapping to replace cling wrap. You can try easy DIY beeswax wraps (including vegan wraps), or you can purchase some.
4. Brush better
Toothbrushes are one of life’s necessities. But being committed to your dental hygiene doesn’t mean you need to contribute to plastic pollution. By investing in a biodegradable bamboo or wooden toothbrush, you’ll be looking after yourself and the planet.
5. Say no
Make ‘no’ your favourite word this July. You might be surprised how often we accept plastic packaging when we’re out shopping without even realising it. Be ready to tell every shop attendant ‘no, thanks’ before they hand you your plastic bag.
6. Be prepared
The best way to avoid single-use plastic is to know where you use it most and give yourself an alternative. Too rushed before work to make your coffee? Have your reusable coffee cup ready and waiting next to your bag each morning. Always buying plastic-wrapped snacks on the go? Spend a few minutes extra at the end of each day to prep some snacks and pop them in reusable containers.
Even if you only manage to reduce your plastic consumption by a small amount this July, adopting any of these habits in your day-to-day is an excellent step towards shifting your mindset around plastic consumption. And remember not to be too hard on yourself if you slip up. Plastic infiltrates so much of our lives, and sometimes it’s completely unavoidable.
326 million people took part in last year’s Plastic Free July around the world. Here’s hoping this year will be even bigger!
You can keep up to date with the challenge by following the Instagram handle @plasticfreejuly and you can check out the website here to take the pledge today!
Source: https://twitter.com/plasticfreejuly/status/1278099014542454786
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