We're almost half way through 'Plastic Free July'.  So what exactly are you doing to make a difference and reduce your use of single - use plastic this month and going forward?

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'Plastic Free July' is Australian based and is really making a difference in reducing the amount of single use plastic on the planet, as well as raising awareness.

In July 2020 alone, an estimated 326 million people across the globe took part in the challenge from 177 countries. An IPSOS survey- link will open in a new window revealed that 29% of people surveyed worldwide were aware of the Plastic Free July challenge and almost half of those chose to take part in 2018.

Plastic Free July participants:

• reduce their household waste and recycling by 21kg per person per year (almost 5%)
• contribute to a total saving of 940 million kg of plastic waste each year
• 8.5 out of 10 people made changes that have become habits/ a way of life

*Source:  https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/about-us/

So what are you doing?  Here's what our family has been doing to actively reduce our plastic footprint.  How does it compare to you?

1.  Selecting loose groceries from the supermarket.

We used to by apples, carrots, lettuce etc in the pre - packaged plastic bags.  It's a crazy notion when you think about it.  Completely unnecessary plastic, often wrapping food which has a natural barrier anyway!  Plus it's actually more expensive than the loose product.  So why do we buy it?  I guess for convenience sake - but at such a high cost to the environment, we won't choose packaged produce any more.  

2.  Active Recycling

Being a family of 6, we generate a large amount of waste and would regularly fill our recycling bin.  Now it's only half full each fortnight as we focus on ensuring our food scraps go to our chickens, we use Tea Trees cleaning products to reduce plastic bottle disposal and re-use glass bottles / jars etc.  

3.  Good quality water bottles are always close at hand

By having water bottles in the car, we no longer buy single use plastic bottles when out and about.

4.  Reusable coffee cups

Taking a travel mug to the cafe is easy.  Often you're charged less as you're not using their packaging and there's zero waste.  Easy

5.  Sodastream

Sparkling water and the occasional kids soft drink is made with minimal waste - no more cans or bottles and it's a space saving as well.  We swear by it

6.  Reusable Shopping Bags

It's a change of habit that's taken a while, but we now take our own bags to the store.  We don't accept plastic bags any longer and it hasn't been than difficult.

Perhaps these steps don't sound too significant, but if every family in Australia took these small steps, we'd be well on the way to substantially reducing our plastic footprint.  Are you on board? 

Tea Trees cleaning tablets remove the need to buy single use containers - one 8 gram tablet, your own tap water and a long life recycled bottle is all you need!