Happy plastic-free July! We all love to make things a little more convenient in our daily lives. Sometimes though, these conveniences come at a huge cost. Plastic items, especially single-use plastic, are wreaking havoc on our precious environment and delicate marine eco-systems. 

Every year, more than 8 billion kilos of plastic ends up in waterways and by 2030, the rate of plastic pollution around the globe is expected to double. We already have an enormous garbage patch of plastic swirling around in the Pacific ocean 3 times the size of France! 

Plastic free July is time to get on board and make some positive changes when it comes to how much plastic you use at home. Small changes can make a big difference!

Sandwich bags 

Packing work lunch or the school lunches needs to be convenient on those busy mornings but single use sandwich bags are plastic waste problem! Swap your lunch bags for another more environmentally friendly option like Tupperware containers, multi-use silicone bags or give beeswax strips – a great alternative to plastic wrap. 

Hand and body wash 

Swapping hand wash packaged in a plastic pump for bar soap is a super easy way to cut down on plastic in the bathroom. If you’re worried about the longevity of a bar soap compared to hand and body wash, investing a good quality soap dish and long-lasting, quality soap bars will maximise shelf life. 

Plastic straws

For such a small thing, plastic straws generate a huge amount of waste and are right up there with the worst of the single-use plastic culprits! Luckily, we have a range of reusable straws readily available to us these days – the most popular being those made from bamboo and metal. While bamboo straws do have a limited life, they are biodegradable and do break down, unlike their plastic cousins. Keep a clean metal or bamboo reusable straw tucked in your bag to use as needed!

Water bottles

Swapping your single use plastic water bottle for a BPA free reusable bottle isn’t just good for the environment, it’s better for your health too! The BPA found in many single use plastic bottles can seep into the water and many studies have shown that BPA can mimic the actions of oestrogen, binding to the same receptor in the body which can cause health issues. 

The better choice? Investing in a BPA free reusable water bottle to keep with you when you’re out and about. 

Fruit and veggie packaging

Many of the big supermarkets sell their fruit and veggie range pre-packed in plastic packaging. Once we get our produce home and stock the fruit bowl and fridge, that plastic heads straight for the bin. What a waste! Buying your fruit and veggies loose is the easy way to avoid this and do your part to cut down Australia’s plastic problem – only 14 percent of plastic is reusable in Australia and most of our plastic waste is packaging.

Cotton buds

Cotton buds might be the last thing you’d think of for household single use plastic waste but the plastic stems impact our marine environments. They’ve even been found in the found in the stomachs of Loggerhead Turtles! The more eco-friendly option is choosing plastic-free cotton buds with biodegradable bamboo or paper stems instead. 

Toothbrushes

They’re a staple part of our morning routine but your run-of-the-mill toothbrush is doing more environmental damage than you may think.  A regular toothbrush is made from a combination of plastic, rubber for the grip and nylon for the bristles. none of the components of standard toothbrushes are biodegradable and remain in landfill indefinitely.

While they’re technically not ‘single-use’, when you think about how many toothbrushes we use collectively every year (billions) you can see how this stacks up to have a huge environmental impact. Bamboo and other biodegradable plastic-free options are a kind choice for our planet and an easy swap to make for plastic free July. 

Plastic cutlery

Plastic knives, forks and spoons are some of the biggest single use plastic culprits out there! You tuck into your takeaway and then it’s straight to the bin for the cutlery. Invest in a stainless steel portable cutlery set or spork to pack in your bag instead. 

I hope this list has inspired you to take action this plastic-free July to cut something out or swap for a more eco-friendly option. It all adds up and makes a difference!

Deb x