Join Plastic Free July Campaign With Your Family!

What’s your daily plastic footprint? Baby wipes, coffee cups, plastic water bottles, etc.? Multiply that with billions of people leaving the same amount of plastic footprint. How much plastic waste do we get? I’d say a heck of a lot!! There is more plastic in the ocean than there are stars in the sky. Can you imagine that? It can be pretty difficult to visualize that plastic waste has surpassed the trillions of stars in the sky 500 times more. However, it would be best if you didn’t picture that alarming truth. Instead, we need you to do something!

Plastic pollution has become one of the world’s worst environmental issues. Started by Rebecca Prince-Ruiz (the founder of the Plastic Free Foundation), The Australian founded initiative established the Plastic Free July campaign in 2011. This Plastic Free Foundation encouraged people worldwide to reevaluate how they use plastic and what they can do to reduce plastic waste consumption. 

Our participation in becoming part of the solution is crucial in solving this crisis. Recycling plastic can be one resolution, sure. But you should know that only 9% of plastic gets recycled! There are tons of other creative ideas you can do to reduce plastic waste and make sure to include your kids in this practice to help them develop a habit of weaning from plastic dependency at a young age. 

This month, we are joining the Plastic Free July campaign, and we have listed a few things you can do at home with your family. 

BAN MICROBEADS

When you think about plastic, you think about the obvious ones that the majority have been using in their daily lives: plastic bags, water bottles, straws, and so much more. What you don’t know is that there are hidden plastics that are being flushed down the waterways every day, and this includes the microbeads incorporated in your shower gels, tubes of toothpaste and facial wash. 

These are solid, plastic particles that don’t dissolve in water. They are tiny particles of 1-5mm that will end up floating for centuries in our oceans or end up in the food chain as they get eaten by different sea creatures.

Check out some homemade exfoliant how to’s here.

PAPER TOWEL INDEPENDENCE

Yup, they’re not made from plastics but are mostly made from recycled papers or trees. However, these rolls of paper towels come in plastic packaging. In America alone, there are over 13 billion pounds of paper towels used by Americans every year. 

You can easily take what you have – an old shirt, towels, washcloth that you no longer use. However, if you want to get creative and use this time to bond with your kids and teach them the importance of cutting out paper towels in your everyday lives, check this step by step procedure on making “unpaper” towels. 

REPURPOSE EMPTY PLASTIC BOTTLES

In the U.S, there are about 1500 plastic water bottles consumed every second! It is essential to have reusable water bottles with you wherever you go. 

Of course, there will come a time when we fail to bring them with us and the need to hydrate beckons. However, it isn’t just these water bottles that are the problem—your toiletries, household cleaning products, bottles of cooking oil and many items that come primarily in plastic containers. So, shop smart! Choose what can be refilled instead of those that come in disposable packages.

Though, there are ways on how you can repurpose, upcycle or reuse these things to cut 

down on plastic waste. 

These are just a few tips on how you can get involved in the Plastic Free July daily challenge. Push yourselves to think outside what we have gotten used to when it comes to convenience. Convenience is the keyword that made us believe that we can’t live a day without plastic. Society has nurture breed after breed of lazy citizens. They have instilled in us the need for plastics for hassle-free life. The plastic dependency we have gotten used to since the 1950s have created an enormous burden for us, the animals, and our planet. 

So, take the pledge and be a part of the Plastic Free July community and commit to mindful actions for the welfare of our health and the planet!!