By: Casha Doemland
Plastic poses a threat not only to our planet but also our many inhabitants. Today, there are five garbage patches our oceans, one of which is the infamous Great Pacific Garbage Patch with a whopping 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic. It’s estimated that by 2050 the amount of plastic floating in our oceans will surpass the weight of fish.
While many companies and countries around the world are making great strides to get rid of single-use plastic, there are also changes you can make in your day to day life to help.
For the month of July, join the Plastic Free July Foundation, an independent not-for-profit based in Perth, Australia and reduce your footprint.
The initiative was launched back in 2011 by WMRC Earth Carers, a program dedicated to educating, advising and facilitating environmentally sustainable practices and behaviors in Perth. Over time, it blossomed into a foundation of its own, which you see today.
Multiple levels of commitment are available from going plastic free for a day, a week, all of July or even starting now. Additionally, you can opt out of using single-use plastic packaging, target takeaway items like bags, bottles, straws and coffee cups, or go 100% plastic-free.
Once you accept the challenge, you receive an email that leads to your next steps, starting with a Pesky Plastics Quiz to learn more about how much single-use plastic creeps in your life. For example, do you refuse plastic straws at restaurants and always remember to bring your reusable bags to the grocery store?
From there, their website has plenty of great tips and tricks, from A-Z Alternatives like using paper bags over plastic bags, using shampoo bars over plastic pump bottles and even making your own deodorant (recipe included).
Additionally, newsletters will appear in your inbox throughout the month to keep you going.
Of course, no one is asking you to go big or go home. You don’t have to throw away all the plastic in your house. Because let’s face it, throwing those items away without having used them is even more wasteful. So, use what you have and then invest in sustainable options for the future. Just make sure, you know, you recycle it.
So, are you willing to go plastic free?
LA-based and Georgia-bred, Casha Doemland spends her days crafting poetry and freelance writing. Over the last two years, she’s been published in a variety of publications and zines around the world. When she’s not nerding out with words, you can catch her watching a classic film, trekking around the globe or hanging out with a four-pound Pomeranian.
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