Plastic Free July
Photo by mali maeder: https://www.pexels.com/photo/assorted-plastic-bottles-802221/
Did you know that every piece of plastic ever made still exists somewhere on Earth? It’s a shocking thought — and sadly true. According to the UN, around 79% of all plastic ends up in landfill or polluting our environment, and much of it is now breaking down into microplastics. As we near the end of July, I realise we haven’t talked about “Plastic-Free July”, a global movement that’s helped an estimated 100+ million people across 190 countries reduce their single-use plastic consumption.
Scientists say we’re each consuming around 5 grams of microplastics every week – that’s roughly the weight of a credit card – through bottled water, food, and even the air. Plastic isn’t just clogging up our oceans anymore; it’s inside us too.
In the UK, WRAP reports that we use over 1.1 billion plastic bags and nearly 8 billion plastic bottles each year. It’s overwhelming – but small changes really do add up.
At home, we’ve started recycling our soft plastics at supermarket drop-off points – honestly, I’m amazed how much waste we’ve cut down by just doing that. And a simple litter pick with my daughter in our local woods filled three bin bags of mostly plastic in under an hour. Eye-opening, to say the least.
So how can you cut down your plastic footprint this summer? Here are some easy swaps to get started:
Choose clothes in natural fibres (cotton, linen, hemp) to avoid microplastics from washing, or use a micro-plastic filter.
Shop second-hand or from brands who care (see our favourites at ourfashionfix.com).
Ditch disposables: use reusable coffee cups, water bottles, utensils and shopping bags - water refill stations are everywhere now.
Pack DIY picnics in beeswax wraps or lunchboxes – better for the planet and your wallet.
Buy loose fruit & veg or visit refill stores to avoid unnecessary packaging.
Switch to solid shampoo, soap, and deodorants – plastic-free and travel-friendly!
Try a local litter pick – surprisingly fun and instantly rewarding.
So, what could you change at home, at work, or even at school? Sometimes it just starts with noticing.
For more ideas, check out plasticfreejuly.org and let’s tackle the plastic problem together.
Start small. Spread the word. Every swap matters.