Plastic Free July
Published on 03 July 2024
Plastic Free July is here and this year more than 100 million people from 190 countries around the globe will be taking part in an effort to reduce their reliance on single use plastics.
One of the biggest successes of the campaign over more than a decade has been to encourage governments to introduce a range of measures to limit the use of single use plastics. In Victoria, light weight single use plastic bag bans were introduced 5 years ago, and in February 2023 the ban on a range of single use plastics such as straws, plates and cutlery also came into effect. More importantly, it is the efforts by individuals that contribute to change.
There are many things that we can easily swap to non-single use; these include:
- Water or drink bottles.
- Coffee cups.
- Avoid single item plastic wrapped snacks.
- Avoid pre-wrapped fresh produce.
- Avoid straws unless you really need them - then use reusable options.
- Take your own reusable utensils rather than getting throwaway items.
- Take your own reusable shopping bags.
- Bulk buy items where appropriate.
- Support vendors who do not use single use plastics.
- Choose to eat in a cafe rather than take away - slow down.
- Reusable sandwich wraps rather than single use cling wrap.
Anyone can take up the Plastic Free July Challenge - sign up at:
www.plasticfreejuly.org
