by Eliza Fry
July is Plastic Free Month. This month millions of people around the world took up the challenge to say, “NO!” to single use plastic. A harmful pollutant that's hard to break down and stays in our environment for thousands of year. Plastics have even entering our food chain and our bodies. A WWF study found that on average people could be ingesting 5 grams of plastic each week—the weight of one credit card!
Like with any Little Green Step, reducing your use of plastic is simple, and small steps make a big impact. Start with one of these suggestions.
Get Your Plastic-Free Sparkle On
Did you know that most glitter is made out of microplastics? These microplastics are too small for household drains to filter and end up in our waterways. Once the glitter gets into the water animals mistake the small particles for food and this in turn gets into our food chain. Companies like BioGlitz and ecoglitter selling biodegradable glitter sprung from the global backlash against glitter companies.
Bring A Reusable Water Bottle
Carrying a reusable water bottle, is the easiest way to reduce your plastic usage. In a variety of shapes, sizes, and colours, you can consider it a fashion accessory that does good for the planet.
Carry a Reusable Straw
Once you begin carrying reusable straws you realise just how many you use. On average, every American uses 1.6 straws a day. Compostable straws are a good alternative, but they still produce waste. Reusable straws are an effective way to get rid of this waste.
Use Reusable Grocery and Produce Bags Reusable grocery bags are one of the most popular forms of reducing single use plastic. Now a global phenomenon, a 2018 UN study found that 127 countries now regulate the use of plastic bags. The many benefits include durability and discounts for bringing your own bag. Level-up and carry reusable produce bags to further reduce waste.
Shop at Stores that Encourage Plastic Reduction Popular stores like Lush Cosmetics and Scoop Wholefoods are committed to reducing plastics. Lush created package-free bar shampoos and lotions—the shampoo bars alone save nearly 6 million plastic bottles a year. Zero waste grocery stores are on the rise. Scoop Wholefoods encourages customers to bring their own containers rather than buying products with single use plastic packaging. To date, Scoop has saved over 13 million plastic bags from landfills.