Plastic Free July - Take the #ecochallenge

Ready to set a new #challenge trend?

One that is good for the planet and people?

Well, there’s no better time than right now! Because Plastic Free July is live!

#Plasticfreejuly is all about helping you break up with plastic, and the goal is simple - avoid purchasing and using single use plastics for the whole month of July – or for good, if you’re up to the challenge.

We’ve got 4 easy tips to help you get started. But first -

Why should you care about your plastic use?

• Plastic is derived from fossil fuels. Its production relies on the extraction of oil from earth - with devasting impacts on our planet’s natural resources and environment. Worse still – it’s a non-renewable and unsustainable resource that takes hundreds of years to break down.
• Plastic is polluting our planet. To date, only about 9% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled, the rest has been burnt or is sitting in landfills (emitting methane) or is breaking down into microplastics in our environment.

Not to mention, plastic has a terrible impact on marine life. In fact, it’s estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans.

So how did we get here?

Plastic was invented in 1907. But it wasn’t until the 50s that it started becoming an everyday material. Fast forward to the 1990s and plastic production AND waste generation had more than tripled. Suddenly bottled water and disposable utensils were satisfying our need for convenience.

Single use plastics have become so popular that globally, one million plastic drinking bottles are purchased every minute, while up to 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are used worldwide every year. And shockingly, half of all the plastic produced annually is designed to be used just once!

It has become our preferred material for all of life’s necessities - from water bottles to healthcare products, food containers, clothes, and even diapers. Yet all of the plastic that has come in to existence is still on earth today!

Inspired to kick the plastic habit?

Going plastic free, even for a month, right now may seem impossible. But start small, choose one switch from our list below, and reduce your need for plastic. You might create a healthy, life-long habit that has a positive impact on our environment.

4 tips to kick that plastic habit

1) Start with The Big Four:

Water Bottles, Coffee Cups, Plastic Bags & Straws.

• Invest in a reusable eco-friendly water bottle and to-go cup for an easy way to reduce your daily plastic use.
• Bring your own shopping bag! The key (to borrow from The Scout motto) - “always be prepared.” Carry a small reusable bagfor those unexpected shopping needs.
• Choose reusable straws or ditch them altogether.

2) Rethink your kitchen:

A little can go a long way.

• Replace your saran wrap with beeswax fabric food wrapping.
• Sub single use food storage bags with reusable Stasher Bags.
• Swap those plastic storage containers for steel or glass containers and jars

3) Go eco in the bathroom:

• Next time your shampoo runs out, ditch the bottle switch to a shampoo bar.
• Can’t recycle your toothpaste tube? Try toothpaste tablets or paste.
• For all your cleaning supplies, switch to glass containers or refill your bottles with DIY solutions.

4) Wear your conviction:

Fast fashion is laced with plastic - from the textiles themselves, to the packaging they travel in.

You can avoid creating extra waste by learning more about sustainable alternatives – like recycled fibers – and by boycotting virgin materials.

And hey, you can even start lowering your footprint today with some Teddy Locks socks!

Still not sure you can do it? We are sharing daily tips and swaps on our Instagram stories all month – check them out @teddylocksusa

Plastics Free July movement started in 2011 by Rebecca Prince-Ruiz.

In 2017 she and a group of people from her local government formed a non-profit called The Plastic Free Foundation.

You can visit their site to sign up for the official challenge.