P
lastic Free July is an environmental initiative created by the Plastic Free Foundation. From humble
beginnings in 2011, this award-winning campaign now sees millions of people from countries across the globe taking part in an effort to reduce their plastic waste and help make the planet a better place. If you’ve been wanting to cut back on single use plastics but feel overwhelmed trying to tackle everything at once, use this month to focus on making one or two small, impactful changes that can easily carry over into the rest of the year. Here’s how:
At home
DENTAL CARE You’ll likely go through at least four toothbrushes a year, which adds up to quite a lot of plastic waste over a lifetime. To combat this, choose a toothbrush made from sustainable, compostable materials, such as bamboo. Mainstream brands like Colgate now offer bamboo toothbrushes, so they’re more readily available in supermarkets – be aware that the bristles aren’t always compostable and may need cutting from the handle at the end of its life. If you’re ready to go a step further,
you can also get chewable toothpaste tablets in glass containers, so you can give a minty fresh kiss goodbye to the annoying task of trying to squeeze the last bit of toothpaste from plastic tubes.
PERIOD PRODUCTS Unfortunately, a huge number of disposable menstrual products end up in landfi ll or are fl ushed down the toilet, blocking sewers and polluting our oceans. Reduce your impact on marine wildlife by choosing one of the many available alternative options such as menstrual cups, biodegradable tampons, reusable applicators and absorbent underwear. Primark have just launched their own line of eco-friendly, reusable period underwear starting from just £6, so going plastic-free can be more affordable to all.
SOLID TOILETRIES Ditching your plastic-packaged bathroom supplies is easier than you might think. There are now myriad options for solid soap bars, shampoo and conditioner bars, shower wash bars and even solid facial moisturisers, so the sky’s the limit here. Invest in some stylish soap dishes or metal containers to keep them dry between uses and you’ll fi nd that these products last much longer than their liquid counterparts. Tried and tested favourites for plastic-free toiletries at P&F HQ include those from Ethique, Faith in Nature and Lush.
PARTY DECORATIONS Have a birthday party coming up this month? Try swapping balloons and other single-use plastic party decor for reusable and eco-friendly alternatives, such as fabric bunting, cardboard or tissue decorations or even fresh fl owers. Other changes you could incorporate into your gathering include swapping out plastic straws for reusable metal ones (these would make great party favours too!), using dried petal confetti instead of glitter, using paper plates instead of plastic ones and opting for paper party bags instead of plastic if it’s a celebration for little ones.
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July
Life&Living
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