Plastic Free July Tips
A journey into sustainability…begins with imperfection and ends knowing you are doing your best.
Plastic Free July is a fun challenge to TRY to avoid as much single-use plastic as possible and get creative with the single-use plastic you encounter. Below are a few tips for going plastic free this month and what to do if you encounter plastic.
Tips:
- Take your own bags to the Grocery Store & when shopping.
If you forget your bags and come home with plastic ones, use as trashcan liners or as lunch bags throughout the week. Take items to the donation center or return something to a friend!
- Bring your own water bottle.
If you forget your water bottle, reuse your single-use cup as a starter for seeds, a place to hold odds and ends, or a temporary vase for wildflowers.
- Say no to straws; bring your own reusable one, don’t use one.
If you do get a plastic straw reuse it turning it into a pen holder for a notebook, prevent your jewelry from tangling, or a single use lotion dispenser, ideas from HERE
- Use resealable zip-top bags.
If reusable zip-top bags are not an option try storing food in glass jars or other single-use plastic like yogurt containers. The goal is to reuse as much single-use plastic as possible. You can also try to rinse out your zip-top bags to reuse them. Leave them on the counter to air dry propping them open.
- Choose food not packaged in plastic. Many fresh fruits and vegetables are sold unnecessarily wrapped in plastic.
If you buy food wrapped in plastic, it is what it is. Many cost-effective foods are wrapped in plastic making it very hard to avoid. Don’t feel bad because we all encounter plastic at the grocery store.
- Choose plastic-free items like water bottles, cell phone cases, sunglasses, toothbrushes, and kitchen scrubs.
- Other ways to avoid waste & plastic: use soap bars, products like PLAINE sell their liquid shampoos and soaps in reusable metal bottles and avoid cotton swaps on plastic.
Plastic Free Brands to Support:
Plaine Products