Remaining Updated on October 10, 2023
It’s July, and if you’re into eco-friendly residing, you acknowledge what that means… it’s time for Plastic Free July! To rejoice, I believed I’d spherical up just some straightforward swaps.
Plastic Free July started in Australia in 2011. The aim of a no plastic July is to steer clear of disposable merchandise, significantly single use plastics, on your complete month. I’m sharing my favorite Plastic Free July ideas along with my most interesting ideas for Plastic Free July. Many uncover that with these swaps, going plastic free for one month turns into long term lowered plastic utilization — which has an enormous impact on the planet!
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Plastic Free July
Plastic Free July is supposed to be an issue. You’ll resolve one disposable to steer clear of like single-use plastic straws, or you might attempt to steer clear of the huge 4 which can be grocery baggage, plastic straws, to-go espresso cups, and plastic water bottles. The truth is, you might go all in and steer clear of ALL single-use plastics for the ENTIRE month of July to ensure that you an precise drawback.
As a result of it’s solely a month prolonged dedication, you’ll get your toes moist and see if it’s one factor you’d have to pursue long term.
The reality is, many ‘full-time’ zero wasters started by collaborating in Plastic Free July! The way of living made loads sense that they decided to keep up at it!
If you start reducing your trash and publicity to single-use plastics, you might uncover it’s easier than you depend on!
I was hooked because of it improved my whole effectively being and properly being, my pores and pores and skin, helped me get financial financial savings, and additional!
This publish begins out with just some simple swaps like water bottles and toothbrushes, nonetheless evolves into some swaps you might not have heard about! And, the ultimate swap is MY FAVORITE — a gift that retains on giving — so ensure you check it out!
With out extra ado, listed beneath are my excessive 10 EASY swaps you too can make for going plastic free this July.
plastic free july ideas
1. reusable water bottles:
Day-after-day in america, 50 million plastic bottles are landfilled. Focus on numerous waste!
It’s possible you’ll be questioning why we’re landfilling these bottles in its place of recycling them.
Recycling is sweet and place to start out out (we’ll cowl it afterward inside the issue), nonetheless it isn’t the reply.
Have you learnt plastic solely has a 9 p.c recycle price? That’s about to drop even lower because of China has put a ban on plastic imports from the U.S. for recycling.
The first of my 10 ideas for Plastic Free July is to simply ship your private water bottle. The LARQ Bottle is SO cool!
It’s a self-cleaning water bottle that purifies the water inside a lightweight single-walled stainless-steel bottle.
LARQ makes use of UV-C LED gentle to take away as a lot as 99.9999% of E.coli out of your water and bottle.
Previous that, 1% of every LARQ Bottle purchase helps to scrub up our oceans via a partnership with Plastic Monetary establishment. They’ve a function to remove 1 million single-use plastic bottles from the ocean.
RELATED: Recommendations on how one can Filter Water With out Plastic
2. reusable espresso cups:
From Starbucks alone, we threw away 4 billion espresso cups in 2017. That’s insane.
Most of the paper cups you receive at espresso retailers are actually lined with plastic, which suggests they’re NOT recyclable in most providers in america.
So, most espresso cups merely wind up throughout the landfill.
Fortuitously, there are a bunch of selections by way of avoiding these single-use plastics.
You’ll ship your private thermos to the espresso retailer, ask for a mug to stay, and even use a mason jar. And, you don’t should get a elaborate new mason jar — you might upcycle an earlier one from pasta sauce or salsa.
Seize my ideas for the Finest and Quickest Strategy to Take away Labels from Jars.
3. tea:
Trying to find one factor delicious to put into your reusable thermos? Do you have to’re a tea lover like me, then it will shock you to be taught most tea baggage are constituted of plastic.
A new look at found that the bags can launch BILLIONS of plastic particles into your cup. Yum…
Among the many greatest strategies to steer clear of your tea being steeped with a side of polypropylene is to simply sip unfastened leaf tea!
The California Tea Dwelling started at a neighborhood California farmer’s market the place their small batch blends turned so well-liked they opened up a website.
They’ve the largest variety of USDA Licensed Pure tea blends within the usand are totally plastic free. They use recycled packaging and biodegradable peanuts for all of their shipments, so you possibly can start sipping some unfastened leaf goodness.
Actually one in all their hottest blends is the Lime throughout the Coconut, and I take into accout my Dad driving me crazy by having fun with that observe on repeat all through my twelfth birthday.
Should you want to give a number of of The California Tea Dwelling‘s unfastened leaf teas a try, you’ll get 15% off plus free supply with the code GOINGZERO15.
RELATED: 6 Sustainable Unfastened Leaf Tea Producers
4. reusable straws:
Have you learnt throughout the U.S. alone, over 500 million straws are used every single day? That’s a median of 1.6 straws per explicit particular person!
Plastic straws are primarily unattainable to recycle because of nearly no curbside program accepts them. They’re simply too small and may clog tools.
While you might be able to merely steer clear of a straw for water or tea, many summery drinks are made WAY increased with a straw. So a useful, moveable, reusable straw is a painless resolution to kick off your No Plastic July.
Tropical smoothies, mixed drinks, milkshakes, and thought of one in all my non-public favorites — boba tea!
Web Zero Co makes super cute reusable straws that hook up with your key ring.
Their straws are constituted of stainless-steel and meals grade silicone, so that you simply don’t have to worry about clanking your enamel — significantly if you’re having enjoyable along with your drink whereas strolling.
Their signature design telescopes so you might merely regulate the dimensions of the straw, and it comes with a cleaner.
All of Web Zero Co‘s merchandise are shipped in plastic-free packaging, nonetheless the easiest half is that every order crops a tree in partnership with Eden Reforestation Duties which fights poverty and reverses deforestation!
With the code ‘GZW10‘ you’ll get 10% off your whole order at Web Zero Co.
RELATED: Take the cheeky quiz
which reusable straw is greatest for you?
5. swap your toothbrush:
Have you learnt every toothbrush ever created stays to be in existence?
If you finish collectively along with your current toothbrush, why not change to a bamboo one?
A bamboo toothbrush could also be composted so that you simply don’t have to worry about your earlier brush sticking spherical for all eternity.
There are tons of various bamboo toothbrush firms which have popped up — and few are even supplied in huge outlets like Purpose and Walgreens — nonetheless my favorite is Brush with Bamboo.
RELATED: Zero Waste Toothpowder + Brush with Bamboo
6. plastic-free floss:
Whereas we’re looking at your oral care habits, have you ever thought of floss?
Frequent floss is often plastic. Previous merely being plastic, it’s toxic. It’s coated with PFC’s which is a chemical that’s current in teflon. Yikes.
In its place, why not floss with a USDA Licensed Bio-Based totally product that’s totally refillable? Successfully, you’re in luck because of Flosspot sells merely that.
Flosspot makes eco-friendly dental floss from every silk and corn if you’re vegan.
Their floss is obtainable in a fairly glass containers and stainless-steel (merely in case you’re clumsy like me), and you can purchase plastic-free refills to insert repeatedly.
7. reusable cotton swabs:
Do you take into accout the picture of the sea horse holding onto a cotton swab that went viral in 2017?
That’s because of most cotton swabs these days are made with… you guessed it — plastic! Yep, these pesky single use devices appeared pretty unattainable to interchange until now.
LastSwab is designed to interchange Q-tips, which can be one of many essential frequent ocean air pollution.
LastSwab is the first sanitary, reusable numerous to the 1.5 billion single-use Q-tips produced every day. Constructed to final so long as 1,000 makes use of, LastSwab is obtainable in two variations — the important for cleaning and the marvel for make-up utility.
Do you have to’re involved about making an attempt LastSwab, you’ll get 10% off for the month of July with the code ‘GoingZeroWastePFJ‘!
8. change to bar cleansing cleaning soap:
I’m on a regular basis amazed by what variety of plastic-free swaps you too can make throughout the bathroom. For a tiny room, it may truly undoubtedly pack a wasteful punch.
One simple resolution to steer clear of any further plastic bottles is to change to waterless merchandise.
The first ingredient you pay for in points like cleaning and sweetness merchandise is water! And, why pay for water (and to have water shipped all through the nation) when you might merely add water at residence?
The Zero Waste Retailer provides a number of of the best shampoo & conditioner bars out there available on the market! With better than 1,000 5 star opinions, you might be comfortable with putting your hair in good arms.
Their shampoo bars are vegan, cruelty-free, palm oil free, plastic-free, and totally zero waste — making this a Plastic Free July no-brainier.
It’s possible you’ll get 10% off at The Zero Waste Retailer with the code GZW10!
9. ditch detergent bottles:
Speaking of waterless merchandise… have you ever thought of cleaning merchandise?
Successfully Earth Gadgets is a family owned and run retailer in Oregon. They’re dedicated to top of the range merchandise with zero plastic, and their laundry detergent STRIPS will rock your world.
Positive, I discussed strips! They’re like small objects of paper that you just throw in your washer to get each half super clear, they often work extraordinarily properly.
This plastic-free detergent selection is fragrance-free, paraben-free, phosphate-free, readily biodegradable in accordance with OECD 310D, hypoallergenic licensed by neutral dermatologists, biodegradable, vegan, bottle free, AND shipped in plastic-free packaging!
You must use the code GZW10 to get 10% off your order at Successfully Earth Gadgets!
10. zero waste hand sanitizer:
You’ll guess I’ve been prepared for refillable and zero-waste hand sanitizer — and it’s HERE!
Sanikind has launched a cultured, useful, eco-friendly, and environment friendly resolution to maintain healthful on the go together with out contributing to the worldwide single-use plastic catastrophe.
Comprised of 100% recycled ocean-bound plastic, Sanikind’s trendy non-public spray bottle clips correct onto your key ring!
Sanikind makes it simple to spray down door knobs, your phone, and your arms. Their system is cruelty-free and authorised by WHO and the FDA.
The Sanikind refill is obtainable in a 16oz aluminum bottle, sustaining each half #PlasticFree.
BONUS!! going plastic free as a gift that retains on giving:
Now, that’s my favorite suggestion throughout the WHOLE publish, and I’ll let you realize why…
Plenty of individuals obtained’t be eager to make life-style changes on their very personal, nonetheless with a straightforward nudge within the exact route, you’ll get them hooked.
I’ve achieved this with my mom, grandma, and pop. Principally, as soon as they found about my eco-friendly life-style, they thought I was a bit uncommon. Then, I gifted them a straightforward swap like a number of of the choices above, they often realized these ‘eco-friendly’ swaps have been AWESOME.
A couple of of the swaps saved them money, some saved them time, and some have been merely pleasurable! The underside line is that they’ve been hooked!
So, why not reward a pal or member of the household a small reusable merchandise to permit them to kind out Plastic Free July with you?
In its place of wrapping this stuff in typical wrapping paper, which is constituted of plastic, why not go for a BEAUTIFUL pure cotton, no-waste numerous to wrapping paper that you just’ll have to reuse, physique, or present perpetually.
Wrappr is a woman owned agency based in Toronto, Canada that focuses on engaging reusable, ‘wrapping paper’ that may be utilized time and again.
Their function is to take away waste and single-use plastics, and to help artists. Each of the artists receives a decrease of every sale of their prints.
As a bonus, they ship all of their merchandise in recycled and sustainable provides!
Considerably… aren’t they engaging!? And, you’ll get 15% off your first order with the code ‘GOINGZEROWASTE’ over on Wrappr!
faqs
what are your most interesting ideas for plastic free july?
Start collectively along with your best areas of weak spot! By doing a trash audit (and even just some honest thought along with your self), you might even see the place you produce basically probably the most trash. For instance, if you clear solely with disposable paper towels, a perfect place to start out out is swapping to reusable cloths/towels.
Should you acknowledge you get a disposable espresso cup every day and order takeout with a plastic container and fork, swap these out for glass Snapware and making your private espresso.
what number of people participate in no plastic july?
Not adequate, however it’s getting increased yearly! In keeping with this affect report, about 29% of worldwide customers (study: about 313 million people) have been aware of the concept of a no plastic July, and 13% (about 140 million people) participated in 2021.
In keeping with the equivalent look at, participation has lowered world demand of two.3% of all bottled water. That alone is insane, however it moreover lowered 3.1% of fruit and vegetable packaging, and 4% of all plastic straws. Take into consideration the affect if all of us used these Plastic Free July ideas! Take into consideration if we carried out even half the next suggestions for the rest of the 12 months as properly. We could change the panorama of disposable objects for the upper.