Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution - so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities.
Thing to adopt to make your life plastic-free
• Takeaway coffee cups- Most coffee cups aren't recycled. By bringing your own reusable coffee cup, or taking the time to dine-in at your favourite café, you can make a huge difference.
• Fruit & vegetables- Many grocery stores pre-package their fruit and vegetables in plastic, and offer plastic bags for loose items. There are simple alternatives to help reduce your impact on the environment. Buying plastic-wrapped or packaged fruits and vegetables can be convenient, but unfortunately, it creates plastic waste. Instead, look out for loose fruit and vegetables in your local grocery store, or head to a farmers market or organic store where plastic packaging is less often used. Choose lightweight, reusable produce bags instead of the plastic bags that are usually provided. Be sure to look for ones made from recycled plastic or repurposed netting fabric.
• Dental care- You can go plastic-free with your dental care, by finding more sustainable alternatives to toothbrushes, toothpaste, and dental floss. More and more people are choosing toothbrushes are made from sustainable, compostable materials, such as bamboo. Be aware though, bristles are usually still made from plastic, so you'll need to cut them off before composting or reusing your bamboo toothbrush handle.
• Soap- Your shower habits can have a positive impact on the environment by swapping out single-use plastic packaged shower and shave products for bars of soap. Making the switch from shower gel to bars of soap is an easy way to reduce consumption of single-use plastics. Bar soaps come in different blends to suit body washing, face wash, shampoo and shaving, so your line-up of bottles may become a line-up of bars.
• Workplace kitchens- Your workplace's kitchen can be a great place to start when it comes to reducing plastic. There are some quick and easy (but impactful) changes you can make. Try and avoid replacing single-use plastics for single-use cardboard, bamboo or "compostable plastic". Instead, swap items for reusable alternatives, such as ceramic mugs, stainless steel cutlery and glass cups.
• At School and colleges- Inspire people at your school to participate in Plastic Free July and refuse to use single-use plastic. Together, small changes can make a big difference. Many schools produce a large amount of plastic waste, but you can change that. By getting your school on board and educating them about the effects of plastic pollution, you can make a huge difference. To start with, your school may also already have a sustainability committee or environmental club. If that's the case, this can be a great opportunity to introduce the idea of Plastic Free July to like-minded individuals.
• For teachers- You can make a big impact in your classroom by engaging in plastic-free crafts and activities, discussing waste with your students, and more.
Article by,
Mrs. Varnitha M S
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Interior Design and Decoration
Nitte School of Fashion Technology and Interior Design
Email: info.nsftid@nitte.edu.in
