Plastic-Free July

Start reducing your plastic footprint

We all know it’s important, but making the break to ‘plastic-free’ can seem overwhelming. After all, some of our favourite daily rituals involve products containing plastics – giving them up is not going to be easy.

The facts

Let’s remind ourselves of the facts to get us in the right state of mind.

Some 11 million tonnes of plastic are entering our ocean on a daily basis, killing some 100,000 marine mammals and turtles, and 1 million sea birds every year. Whales are ingesting plastic bottles, crabs are getting entangled in plastic bags, seals are getting plastic frisbees stuck round their necks, seabirds are getting enmeshed in plastic nets and beer can holders.

Less than 10% of the plastic we use will ever be recycled. It gradually breaks down into microscopic pieces in landfill, our streets, beaches, rivers and oceans, but it never disappears entirely.

You might use a plastic bag for just 15 minutes, but it could take 100-300 years to fragment. A plastic bottle can last 450 years in the marine environment, slowly fragmenting into smaller microscopic pieces that never truly disappear.

Every piece of plastic ever produced is still with us in some form. Yet we continue to use it more than ever.

It’s also linked to the climate crisis. 90% of plastics are produced from new oil and gas, and the production of one tonne of plastic generates up to 2.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

What is Plastic-Free July?

It’s a global movement that brings millions of people together to help reduce plastic pollution, providing ideas and resources to help change our single-use throwaway culture.

So, how do we get started? 

The organisers of Plastic-Free July have made getting started easy. Make the break by ‘Choosing to Refuse’ one single-use plastic item. Individual actions make one big difference when 120 million other people are making the same changes across the world.

Let’s take a look at the worst offenders

Litter picks and beach cleans show the same culprits time and time again. So browse the list below to help you take a stand: 

• Plastic bottles – 38 million plastic drinks bottles are bought every day in the UK
• Coffee cups and lids – we use 7 million disposable coffee cups every day in the UK
• Straws and plastic stirrers – these are in the top ten polluters in our ocean
• Plastic ‘food on the go’ packaging – 138 pieces of food and drink waste litter every 100 metres of beach
• Plastic cutlery – food and drink-related items now make up one in every five pieces of litter
• Plastic bags – these can kill marine wildlife, such as birds, whales and turtles, by unintentional digestion or inhalation
• Bathroom plastics – toothbrushes, disposable razors, plastic sanitary items, cotton buds, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner. One cotton bud can take 150 years to break down in the marine environment

Small changes we can make

• Refuse plastic straws in bars; BYO reusable alternatives
• Don’t buy plastic drinks bottles; BYO refillable water bottle
• If you’re buying coffee to take away, BYO reusable cup
• Avoid single-use cutlery for ‘food on the go’; BYO reusable cutlery set
• Take your own reusable bags when you shop
• Buy fruit and veg loose; BYO reusable produce bag (also available in most supermarkets)
• Swap bottles for bars, whether for soap, shampoo, conditioner or washing up liquid
• Avoid using cleaning products packaged in single use plastic; save money and the environment by using old fashioned white vinegar, lemon and water in a reusable spray bottle
• Say goodbye to cling film; store leftovers in reusable containers or food wraps
• Support your local farmers’ market
• Use the deli counter and BYO containers from home
• Look out for cardboard, glass and tin alternatives to plastic products

Making the move to a circular economy

Currently it takes a lot of energy and resources to produce and manufacture every day products, which contributes massively to the carbon emissions that are overheating our planet. There are hidden carbon emissions in everything we buy, from mining, processing, packaging, transportation, especially of imported goods. With every purchase, we put pressure on our climate, making the earth hotter and hotter.

The only way out of our current climate crisis is to move from a linear economy (make – use – dispose) to a circular economy (make – use – remake), where everything has value and nothing goes to waste.

Instead of buying brand new and throwing away, we can choose to design and use products with the intention of stretching the lifespan of the item – whether that’s by sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing or even recycling.

How to live circular

By embracing the circular economy, we can help save our planet, save us money, enhance our wellbeing, boost economies through job creation and rebuild our sense of community.

Living circular means making the most of what we’ve got and keeping things in use for as long as possible.

Make the 5 Rs your mantra

Refuse | Reduce | Reuse | Repurpose | Recycle

Refuse – say no to single-use plastic items

Reduce – before making a purchase, ask yourself: ‘Do I really need it?’

Reuse – reuse plastic items as much as possible, or take items you no longer use to secondhand or charity shops

Repurpose – empty containers can often fulfil another purpose, such as holding pens or paperclips on your desk

Recycle – buy recycled products and recycle packaging where possible. Check the rules for recycling collections in your area to make sure items are rinsed, separated or taken to a specialist collection point.

A final thought

112,000 pieces of plastic packaging leave UK supermarkets every minute.

It’s up to us to turn the tide by refusing to buy single-use plastics.