Hi Landcarer’s

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

In 2024, 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.

Plastic Free July 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 2023, 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.

Just some simple steps that I take….I bring my coffee cup to get my takeaway coffee….I just make it part of my morning routine. My everyday reuseable cups that are made of plastic and have silicone lids, I have had since 2016. They still look new….and I just use a water bottle from home. Purchase a good one and it will last!

If the whole thought of a month is too much, at least see if you can form a new routine for your coffee and bring a water bottle to work or play from home.

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 and 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