So, Plastic Free July 2018 is over and we're looking back at a month full of new ideas and great achievements.
What did we learn from Plastic Free July?
- More and more people are joining us on this mission to go plastic free... YAYYYY!! More than 170 countries and millions of people around the globe accepted this year's challenge. What a great impact!
- More and more companies have picked up on the vibe to go plastic free and offer alternatives. FANTASTIC!!
- More and more supermarkets and especially the big supermarket chains like Coles and Woolworths are finally getting their heads around this whole plastic free bag issue. It's still a long way to go but at least there is movement!
- More and more people are aware of the bad effects that plastic has on us, our family, our environment and our planet. Knowledge is power and there are so many great projects and organizations out there who do a marvelous job in informing the inhabitants of this place called earth. YAY!
What can we do to continue doing good?
- Choose to refuse: say no to single use plastic! That means, no takeaway coffee cups, no plastic straws, no fruit and veggies wrapped in plastic, no plastic bags at the checkout
- Shop in bulk: find supermarkets, markets and little shops that offer you to buy your goods in bulk and bring your own containers and glasses to fill them
- Stop using cling wrap: No more use of cling wrap, use the lovely bee wax wraps instead, or your metal/glass containers
- Choose wisely: when you choose a new product like for example clothes pegs, don't go for the cheap plastic option but the steel ones which are less prone to break and have a longer life span
Here are some more ideas to greater your impact and change your habits of using single use plastic:
- Challenge companies of your favorite products: You can't stop buying your favorite foods even though they're wrapped in plastic from head to toe? Well, write to them and ask them if they could offer a different packaging that has a smaller impact on our planet and see what their response is.
- Follow a great example and implement their ideas: The Rogue Ginger (Erin Rhoads), Kathryn Kellogg, Bea Johnson, Ariana Schwarz, Rob Greenfield, Celia Ristow
- One step at a time: every bit counts, you don't have to go extreme to make a difference. Every plastic bag, take-away coffee cup, cling wrap, packaging saved will do a world of good to our beautiful planet