Plastic Free July is only a couple weeks away and is a great initiative that can help you reduce your consumption of single-use plastic and encourage you to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Will you be participating this year? We strongly believe that the key to success is preparation. The truth is, you can plan all you want, but if you don’t prepare, you won’t be ready. Luckily, we’ve got some tips for you to help make your Plastic Free July a great success!

Buy less! 

Our first tip is to buy less! This might be a hard pill to swallow, but if you want to live a more sustainable and eco-conscious life, you have to learn to say “no” more often, because in a world where items are available at our fingertips, it makes it that much harder for us to say no. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. So how can you start? Unsubscribe to newsletters, unfollow social media pages that promote unhealthy consumerism, distinguish between your ‘needs’ and ‘wants’, put 24 hours between you and your spending, shop mindfully, get to know your ‘true taste’, make a shopping list and follow the list, and ask yourself “Do I *really* need it?”.

Prepare your glass jars and bottles 

You’re bound to have an empty glass jar or bottle around your house… or perhaps there is a corner in your house with a collection of jars that you’ve ‘been meaning to clean and peel the labels off’. We see you! Now’s the time the shake the dust off them, pop them in the dishwasher, *actually* peel the labels off and have them ready to go for Plastic Free July. What can you use glass jars for? Storing small loose goods from your bulk grocery shop (e.g. nuts, seeds, grains), storing leftovers or packing tomorrow’s lunch, making pickled vegetables, serving drinks and even storing homemade jam!

Shove reusable bags EVERYWHERE

SHOVE. REUSABLE BAGS. EVERYWHERE. This way, when you’re thinking about going for a grocery run, reusable bags are always within reach. And, if you’ve completely forgotten, that’s okay because you’ve got a bunch in your bag, glove box, back seat, car boot, by the door and in your work desk. You can thank us later for this tip!

 

Use plastic free alternatives for food storage 

What have you been using to keep food fresh in the fridge or freezer? Plastic containers will get the job done, but that’s not plastic free! Use Food Covers and Food Bags made from organic cotton! They’re completely washable, reusable and super versatile. Have a set ready to go ahead of Plastic Free July and you’ll be good to go!

 

Choose your reusable cup 

You either fall in one of two categories: you have a whole collection of reusable coffee cups (acquired from different times in your life) or you’ve never had a reusable coffee cup. Whichever category you fall in, the time is now to CHOOSE. YOUR. CUP! In addition to this, remember to pop your reusable coffee cup in your bag, by the coffee machine, by the door or leave it at your office desk. This way, you’re reducing your chances of forgetting your reusable cup and giving into disposable paper cups.

 

Organise your bins to make sure you’re disposing of, recycling, composting or reusing items properly

Do you dispose of, recycle and compost properly? The best time to start creating good habits for yourself is yesterday, the second best time is now. Start conducting a bin audit to discover all the ‘waste’ that could be avoided, recycled or composted. Whether you’re at home or in your workplace, bin audits are a great way to understand the waste you’re creating and implement change if need be.

Learn more about How Does Composting Work! https://theecowarrior.eco/how-does-composting-work/