Plastic Free July (PFJ) is a global movement, and it gives you the impetus to begin your journey to a plastic free home now, rather than putting it off for another time that may keep being postponed.
If there is one thing that we know as consumers, it’s that single-use plastic is everywhere and it’s really hard to 100% eliminate it. But of course, the entire point of PFJ is to highlight how much single-use plastic there is in our world, and that now is the time to address how unnecessary most of it is.
The bulk of single use plastics across bottles, cling film, resealable bags, bin liners, and straws to name a few all have better, sustainable or compostable versions available. Meaning this day and age there is little stopping you from swapping out the bad for the better.
So why is this month an important time to reconsider your plastic use?
Humans produce an estimated 350+ million tons of plastic each year and an amazing half of it is disposable. Unfortunately, it is disappointing to hear that world-wide, only 10-13% of plastic items are actually recycled. Because of the nature of petroleum based disposable plastic, it is really difficult to recycle it and new raw materials and chemicals have to be added.
We know the problem is there, and many are already on their journey of cutting down their plastic consumption, which we applaud.
In July 2020 alone, an estimated 326 million people across the globe took part in the challenge from 177 countries. An IPSOS survey revealed that 29% of people surveyed worldwide were aware of the Plastic Free July challenge and almost half of those chose to take part in 2018.
According to Plastic Free July’s official website, Plastic Free July participants:
Whether you’re an eco newbie looking to rid your home of a few single use plastic items or are a more seasoned sustainable warrior, there are many ways you can feel inspired to live a plastic-free life.
Here you can check out Compostic’s top Kiwi brands helping you reduce plastic this month.
Plastic Free July is a great time to join in on this movement, and as with a marathon, there are also lots of people taking the challenge at the same time, which provides motivation, support and even a bit of competition.
Nowadays with so many alternatives available for plastics, there is very little excuse as to why individuals may still be buying single use plastics. Also in agreement with this is now the New Zealand Government, who last week announced that between 2022-2025 it will start banning single use plastics, including straws, cotton buds, and hard-to-recycle food and drink packaging made from PVC and polystyrene.
The policy will remove an estimated two billion single-use items from landfills or the environment each year, while a new $50 million plastics innovation fund will open in November to help support projects that reimagine how we make, use and dispose of plastics.
At Compostic, reducing the amount of plastics we consume has been our mission since day one. Every month for us is a plastic free month, but we wouldn’t be able to continue this mission if it weren't for our customers that support and believe in what we’re trying to do.
This Plastic Free July, we encourage consumers and businesses to look at how they use plastic, and start to think about ways they can start to swap in better, more sustainable options.
Overall these changes will benefit not just the individual, but our entire clean green community.