Ultimate Updated on October 10, 2023
It’s July, and must you’re into eco-friendly residing, you perceive what which suggests… it’s time for Plastic Free July! To rejoice, I believed I’d spherical up numerous simple swaps.
Plastic Free July started in Australia in 2011. The aim of a no plastic July is to steer clear of disposable merchandise, notably single use plastics, in your full month. I’m sharing my favorite Plastic Free July ideas along with my best concepts for Plastic Free July. Many uncover that with these swaps, going plastic free for one month turns into long term diminished plastic utilization — which has an enormous impact on the planet!
Quite a few of the hyperlinks underneath are affiliate hyperlinks for additional information please see my disclosure protection.
Plastic Free July
Plastic Free July is supposed to be an issue. You’ll select one disposable to steer clear of like single-use plastic straws, or you’ll try to steer clear of the huge 4 which are grocery baggage, plastic straws, to-go espresso cups, and plastic water bottles. In reality, you’ll go all in and steer clear of ALL single-use plastics for the ENTIRE month of July to ensure that you an precise downside.
As a result of it’s solely a month prolonged dedication, you’re going to get your toes moist and see if it’s one factor you’d want to pursue long term.
In fact, many ‘full-time’ zero wasters started by participating in Plastic Free July! The way of living made so much sense that they decided to keep up at it!
Once you start decreasing your trash and publicity to single-use plastics, it’s possible you’ll uncover it’s easier than you rely on!
I was hooked on account of it improved my complete nicely being and correctly being, my pores and pores and skin, helped me get financial financial savings, and further!
This put up begins out with numerous simple swaps like water bottles and toothbrushes, nonetheless evolves into some swaps you will not have heard about! And, the ultimate swap is MY FAVORITE — a gift that retains on giving — so keep in mind to try it out!
With out further ado, listed below 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 within the USA, 50 million plastic bottles are landfilled. Focus on a complete lot of waste!
You could possibly be questioning why we’re landfilling these bottles in its place of recycling them.
Recycling is sweet and an excellent place to start (we’ll cowl it afterward inside the issue), nonetheless it isn’t the reply.
Are you aware plastic solely has a 9 p.c recycle value? That’s about to drop even lower on account of China has put a ban on plastic imports from the U.S. for recycling.
The first of my 10 concepts for Plastic Free July is to simply carry 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 light to eradicate 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 clean up our oceans by a partnership with Plastic Monetary establishment. They’ve a goal to remove 1 million single-use plastic bottles from the ocean.
RELATED: Learn how to Filter Water With out Plastic
2. reusable espresso cups:
From Starbucks alone, we threw away 4 billion espresso cups in 2017. That’s insane.
Lots of the paper cups you acquire at espresso shops are actually lined with plastic, which suggests they’re NOT recyclable in most companies within the USA.
So, most espresso cups merely wind up throughout the landfill.
Thankfully, there are a bunch of decisions regarding avoiding these single-use plastics.
You’ll carry your private thermos to the espresso retailer, ask for a mug to stay, and even use a mason jar. And, you don’t have to get a flowery new mason jar — you’ll upcycle an earlier one from pasta sauce or salsa.
Seize my concepts for the Greatest and Quickest Choice to Take away Labels from Jars.
3. tea:
Looking for one factor delicious to position into your reusable thermos? When you occur to’re a tea lover like me, then it’d shock you to be taught most tea baggage are constructed from plastic.
A new analysis found that the luggage can launch BILLIONS of plastic particles into your cup. Yum…
Among the many best strategies to steer clear of your tea being steeped with a side of polypropylene is to simply sip unfastened leaf tea!
The California Tea Residence started at a neighborhood California farmer’s market the place their small batch blends turned so customary they opened up a site.
They’ve an important assortment 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’ll be able to start sipping some unfastened leaf goodness.
Definitely one in all their hottest blends is the Lime throughout the Coconut, and I keep in mind my Dad driving me crazy by participating in that monitor on repeat all through my twelfth birthday.
When you want to give a number of of The California Tea Residence‘s unfastened leaf teas a try, you’re going to get 15% off plus free supply with the code GOINGZERO15.
RELATED: 6 Sustainable Free Leaf Tea Producers
4. reusable straws:
Are you aware throughout the U.S. alone, over 500 million straws are used every single day? That’s a median of 1.6 straws per particular person!
Plastic straws are primarily unattainable to recycle on account of just about no curbside program accepts them. They’re simply too small and would possibly clog gear.
While it’s possible you’ll be able to merely steer clear of a straw for water or tea, many summery drinks are made WAY larger with a straw. So a useful, moveable, reusable straw is a painless method to kick off your No Plastic July.
Tropical smoothies, blended drinks, milkshakes, and one in every of my personal favorites — boba tea!
Web Zero Co makes large cute reusable straws that connect with your key ring.
Their straws are constructed from stainless-steel and meals grade silicone, so that you just don’t have to stress about clanking your enamel — notably must you’re having enjoyable together with your drink whereas strolling.
Their signature design telescopes so you’ll merely modify 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 simplest 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’re going to get 10% off your complete order at Web Zero Co.
RELATED: Take the cheeky quiz
which reusable straw is greatest for you?
5. swap your toothbrush:
Are you aware every toothbrush ever created stays to be in existence?
Once you finish alongside together with your current toothbrush, why not change to a bamboo one?
A bamboo toothbrush will likely be composted so that you just don’t have to stress about your earlier brush sticking spherical for all eternity.
There are tons of various bamboo toothbrush corporations which have popped up — and few are even supplied in huge outlets like Aim and Walgreens — nonetheless my favorite is Brush with Bamboo.
RELATED: Zero Waste Toothpowder + Brush with Bamboo
6. plastic-free floss:
Whereas we’re your oral care habits, have you ever thought of floss?
Frequent floss is normally plastic. Previous merely being plastic, it’s toxic. It’s coated with PFC’s which is a chemical that’s current in teflon. Yikes.
As an alternative, why not floss with a USDA Licensed Bio-Based totally product that’s totally refillable? Correctly, you’re in luck on account of Flosspot sells merely that.
Flosspot makes eco-friendly dental floss from every silk and corn must you’re vegan.
Their floss is obtainable in a reasonably glass containers and stainless-steel (merely in case you’re clumsy like me), and you should buy plastic-free refills to insert again and again.
7. reusable cotton swabs:
Do you keep in mind the picture of the sea horse holding onto a cotton swab that went viral in 2017?
That’s on account of most cotton swabs as we speak are made with… you guessed it — plastic! Yep, these pesky single use objects appeared pretty unattainable to change until now.
LastSwab is designed to change Q-tips, which are one of many essential frequent ocean air pollution.
LastSwab is the first sanitary, reusable varied to the 1.5 billion single-use Q-tips produced day by day. Constructed to final so long as 1,000 makes use of, LastSwab is on the market in two variations — the important for cleaning and the surprise for make-up utility.
When you occur to’re excited by making an attempt LastSwab, you’re going to get 10% off for the month of July with the code ‘GoingZeroWastePFJ‘!
8. change to bar cleansing cleaning soap:
I’m always amazed by what variety of plastic-free swaps you too can make inside the bathroom. For a tiny room, it may truly truly pack a wasteful punch.
One simple method to steer clear of any additional plastic bottles is to alter to waterless merchandise.
The first ingredient you pay for in points like cleaning and surprise merchandise is water! And, why pay for water (and to have water shipped all through the nation) when you’ll merely add water at home?
The Zero Waste Retailer provides a number of of the best shampoo & conditioner bars within the market! With larger than 1,000 5 star critiques, you’ll be pleased with inserting your hair in good fingers.
Their shampoo bars are vegan, cruelty-free, palm oil free, plastic-free, and totally zero waste — making this a Plastic Free July no-brainier.
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?
Correctly Earth Objects is a family owned and run retailer in Oregon. They’re dedicated to high quality merchandise with zero plastic, and their laundry detergent STRIPS will rock your world.
Positive, I said strips! They’re like small objects of paper that you just throw in your washer to get each little factor large clear, they normally work extraordinarily correctly.
This plastic-free detergent alternative 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 should use the code GZW10 to get 10% off your order at Correctly Earth Objects!
10. zero waste hand sanitizer:
You’ll wager I’ve been prepared for refillable and zero-waste hand sanitizer — and it’s HERE!
Sanikind has launched an aesthetic, useful, eco-friendly, and environment friendly method to maintain healthful on the go together with out contributing to the worldwide single-use plastic catastrophe.
Made out of 100% recycled ocean-bound plastic, Sanikind’s modern personal spray bottle clips correct onto your key ring!
Sanikind makes it simple to spray down door knobs, your phone, and your fingers. Their elements is cruelty-free and accredited by WHO and the FDA.
The Sanikind refill is on the market in a 16oz aluminum bottle, defending each little factor #PlasticFree.
BONUS!! going plastic free as a gift that retains on giving:
Now, that’s my favorite suggestion throughout the WHOLE put up, and I’ll inform you why…
Numerous individuals acquired’t be ready to make life-style modifications on their very personal, nonetheless with a simple nudge within the exact course, you’re going to get them hooked.
I’ve carried out this with my mom, grandma, and pop. Principally, after they realized about my eco-friendly life-style, they thought I was a bit uncommon. Then, I gifted them a simple swap like a number of of the methods above, they normally realized these ‘eco-friendly’ swaps had been AWESOME.
Quite a few the swaps saved them money, some saved them time, and some had been merely gratifying! The underside line is that that they had 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?
As an alternative of wrapping these things in typical wrapping paper, which is constructed from plastic, why not go for a BEAUTIFUL pure cotton, no-waste varied to wrapping paper that you just’ll want to reuse, physique, or present endlessly.
Wrappr is a girl owned agency based totally in Toronto, Canada that specializes in lovely reusable, ‘wrapping paper’ that may be utilized again and again.
Their goal is to eradicate waste and single-use plastics, and to help artists. Each of the artists receives a scale back of every sale of their prints.
As a bonus, they ship all of their merchandise in recycled and sustainable provides!
Considerably… aren’t they lovely!? And, you’re going to get 15% off your first order with the code ‘GOINGZEROWASTE’ over on Wrappr!
faqs
what are your best concepts for plastic free july?
Start alongside together with your best areas of weak spot! By doing a trash audit (and even only a few reliable thought together with your self), you’ll see the place you produce basically probably the most trash. For instance, must you clear utterly with disposable paper towels, an vital place to start is swapping to reusable cloths/towels.
When you perceive you get a disposable espresso cup day by 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 enough, nonetheless it’s getting larger yearly! In response to this have an effect on report, about 29% of worldwide prospects (study: about 313 million of us) had been acutely aware of the thought of a no plastic July, and 13% (about 140 million of us) participated in 2021.
In response to the equivalent analysis, participation has diminished world demand of two.3% of all bottled water. That alone is insane, nonetheless it moreover diminished 3.1% of fruit and vegetable packaging, and 4% of all plastic straws. Take into consideration the have an effect on if all of us used these Plastic Free July ideas! Take into consideration if we carried out even half the following tips for the rest of the yr as correctly. We could change the panorama of disposable objects for the upper.