Hi Landcarer’s

Have any of you ever completed (or started) Plastic Free July?

In 2023, Plastic Free July participants will again be taking their own small steps to turn off the plastics tap by choosing to refuse single-use plastics.

This year’s ‘Small steps, big difference’ campaign kicks off on 1 July with an invitation to join millions of people worldwide taking steps towards ending plastic pollution.

Even if you don’t think you are up for a challenge in July, going through the Pesky Plastics quiz on their website certainly makes you reflect on what you are doing to reduce plastic use and recycle…and what you could be doing better. As someone who is actively doing their best to reduce my use of single use plastics and just waste in general, I still was challenged to take a few further steps to reduce my impact event further.

In 2022, the steps taken by Plastic Free July participants from around the world collectively reduced waste by 2.6 million tonnes. Throughout the campaign they will be sharing ideas and solutions to reduce plastic waste. Some people are avoiding soft drinks and water in plastic bottles, some are avoiding pre-packaged produce. Others are choosing reusable coffee cups.

I usually do my best to have a coffee cup with me, as I did yesterday when I visited a local business, who refused my keep cup due to Covid…I thought we moved on….I know this is definitely an exception.

Plastic Free July are encouraging people to avoid landfill waste, by taking steps to avoid plastic items that usually end up in landfill.

Reduce consumption and production by refusing, reducing, reusing and refilling, so that we aren’t using up as many of the earth’s resources.

Taking steps to avoid food that is wrapped or heated in plastic, can limit potentially hazardous chemical exposure.

By taking steps to reduce waste such as taking a reusable cup to a café or simply dining in, or shopping at a farmers market or local grocer or butcher with our own bags, we can start conversations and inspire others as well.

We have so many options to recycle now. There is no excuse to not be recycling….but, the challenge of just not purchasing or consuming  products in the first place that are going to be thrown away is a deeper challenge.

Details regarding Plastic Free July are taken from their website: https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/

For further information on this article, please go to www.centralwestlachlanlandcare.org, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram @cwllandcare