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From family support, fitness classes and learning to art exhibitions, festivals and talks, our activities are wide and far reaching.
What is Plastic Free July?
Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people reduce their plastic waste and be part of the solution to plastic pollution. Reducing your individual plastic waste means we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and communities.
Plastic pollution is one of the biggest contributing factors to climate change. With the weather hitting 40°C across the UK this week, it’s no surprise that climate change is causing our summers to get hotter each year!
Play your part in helping our planet by following the Plastic Free July movement in July and beyond. Choosing to refuse single-use plastics and following our tips will reduce single-use plastic waste every day at home, work, and school, which makes all the difference.
Why is Plastic Free July so important?
The Plastic Free July movement has inspired 100+ million participants in 190 countries. Each individual person making a small change will collectively create a positive impact on their communities, and on the welfare of our planet. Choosing to take part in this movement not only helps you refuse single-use plastics in July, but it will also offer you great alternatives to single-use plastics that can become habits forever.
Plastic Free July participants:
- Reduce their household waste and recycling by 15kg per person per year (3.5% less waste)
- Globally reduce 2.1 billion tonnes of waste and recycling including 300 million kgs of plastic consumption
- 86% of people made changes that have become habits/a way of life
- After 11 years Plastic Free July has reduced global demand by 2.3% of all bottled water, 3.1% of all fruit and vegetable packaging, 4.0% of all plastic straws
In the UK it’s estimated that about 5 million tonnes of plastic are used every year, almost half of which is plastic packaging.
Plastic waste doesn’t decompose; it can last in landfill and soil, rivers, and oceans for centuries – continuously harming the environment as well as wildlife.
It’s a team effort to tackle plastic pollution and save our planet, so the power is in all our hands!
How can I go plastic free?
Here are some of our tips on how you can get involved and reduce your plastic waste. Whether you want to start off small or really challenge yourself, anyone can get involved! Get inspired using our suggestions below:
- Takeaway coffee cups: Bring a reusable coffee cup or dine in at your local café
- Fruit and vegetables: Look for loose fruit and vegetables instead of pre-packed ones
- Plastic shopping bags, straws, and water bottles: Use a reusable shopping bag and switch to metal straws and water bottles
- Toiletries: Swap your toiletries to reduce plastic waste e.g. use bar soap instead of liquid soap
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Reduce what you buy, reuse plastic items as much as possible, and recycle correctly
Together, we can all make a difference to the welfare of our planet and reduce our plastic waste step-by-step. Join us by taking part in a plastic-free lifestyle this July and beyond!
