What can you do for the Plastic Free July 2022 challenge?
The Plastic Free July 2022 challenge is a great time to set some new goals to reduce plastic packaging waste. What can you do to take part this year?
Plastic Free July 2022 – join in with millions of people around the world to reduce plastic waste
Plastic Free July is a worldwide initiative to encourage people to reduce the amount to single use plastic they use. It’s a perfect time to set ourselves a few challenges to change our behaviour.
What can you do to reduce the amount of plastic waste you create?
Ideas for your first small swaps for Plastic Free July 2022
If you are just starting out reducing plastic, go for some easy swaps at first.
The ones you might find easiest to change include:
| Item | Reason to swap | Alternative to single use plastic |
| Takeaway coffee cups | These are usually lined with plastic, so are not easy to recycle | Take a reusable cup with you when you order your coffee |
| Fruit and Vegetables | Usually prepacked in plastic or put in a plastic produce bag | Use reusable produce bags at the supermarket. Or use a paper bag – this can be composted. |
| Plastic shopping bags | These are often single use | Take reusable shopping bags to the supermarket |
| Plastic straws | Single use and not recyclable | Use a reusable straw or no straw at all |
| Plastic water bottles | Can be refilled but not designed to be used many times | Take your own refillable water bottle with you from home |
Calendar of ideas to try in Plastic Free July 2022
Looking to go further to reduce waste in Plastic Free July 2022?
Consider buying less, reconsider the consumerist approach
Before buying something, stop and think if there are other options.
There could be low waste or no waste alternatives.
Buying second hand reduces waste going to landfill, and usually comes without excess plastic packaging.
Or you could borrow the item instead.
Possibly, you could do without it at all, and save your money for another time.
Buying a better quality item, if possible
If you can afford it, buying a higher quality reusable item will be better in the long run. Spending more on something you will use for years is better than buying cheap items, often made of plastic, that need replacing regularly.
This does mean you need to have the money available in the first place, which I acknowledge is an issue for many people.
Reconsider consumerism…
In our consumerist society, we are encouraged to keep buying things to grow the economy. This has come at a huge cost to the natural environment, with resources depleted and landfills overflowing with waste.
An alternative approach asks us to consider ‘do I really need that new item?’.
Borrowing items, and buying second hand reduce the need to buy new all the time. And save you money too.
Consider minimalism….
Living a more minimalist lifestyle is a way to reduce spending, reduce waste and save your money for more important things. And it doesn’t mean you have to get rid of things you love
Remember, less is not the same as “none.” There are no specific rules to simple living and nobody is required to get rid of things that bring value to their life. Most minimalists keep some sentimental items in their life… they just keep less than others.
https://www.becomingminimalist.com/what-is-minimalism/
How did you do in Plastic Free July 2022?
Love to hear how your Plastic Free July 2022 challenges went. Please comment below with your wins, fails, and areas you can focus on in future.
I try to reduce our waste and I think we are semi successful. This post has given me some great ideas for the future though!
Thanks Leigh, I hope you find the new ideas easy to do! I think it has to be about fitting in new habits easily, otherwise it just won’t become part of life!
Pippa
Some of those things we’re already doing… but we could use some improving! Thanks for the inspiration!! 🙂
Thanks Patrick!
There are definitely things I can improve on too – mainly I need to rethink what I am buying at the supermarket, as too much of what I buy is in soft plastic packaging.
Pippa
There are so many good ideas here! It’s all about baby steps – trying one thing at a time and building on that success. Can’t wait to see how Plastic Free July goes this year!
Hi Rachael
It really is about taking small steps that add up to big changes overall. Imagine if we all did a couple of small things, the impact would be huge.
Pippa
I love, love the calendar – great ideas there! I wish my town had a refill station for soaps, detergents, etc. We might have our health food store convinced to start one – here’s hoping!
Hi Tessa, thank you for your comments! I hope you do get a refill store, it can cut down on waste so much. But, unfortunately, I have found that it can be more expensive than buying a new bottle of something or other – things are a bit wrong there, in my opinion. Maybe as it gets more popular, the cost to refill will match or beat buying a whole new pack of something.
Pippa