Hi everyone! For those who haven’t read my previous blog, I am on a mission this Plastic Free July to do one action each day to reduce plastic pollution. Whether it’s purchasing reusable items, opting for glass over plastic or cleaning up plastic litter, I am hoping that by the end the month plastic (especially single use!) will not be a big part of my life anymore. Read on to check out how I got on in week two…
Day 8
– Reusable water bottle: It is estimated a million plastic bottles are discarded every minute around the world! Tap water is just as good for you as bottled water, so why not purchase a reusable glass/metal water bottle? It will save you money in the long run, and many cafes refill them for you when you’re out and about.
Day 9
– Mesh bags for fruit and veg: I’m sure you share my frustrations when you see so much fruit and veg wrapped in pointless plastic. Irritatingly, they are often cheaper than loose items, which people often put in single use plastic bags anyway! So, what’s the solution? If you make time to swing by the market to pick up loose fruit and veg, this is much cheaper than purchasing it from the supermarket. I now always have a mesh bag in with my reusable shopping bags, which you can pick up from amazon for a good price.
Day 10
– Recycled toilet rolls wrapped in paper: ‘Who gives a crap?’ deliver boxes of recycled toilet roll wrapped in paper to your door every few months. This is honestly one of the best changes I’ve made in my journey so far. It sounds expensive at first, but if you break it down it is only 75p per double-length roll. They last a long time and it means you never have to worry about lugging giant packets of toilet roll wrapped in plastic home ever again!
Day 11
– Bars of soap: The good news is that sales of bars of soap have risen by 3% in recent months! This is because people are becoming more aware of plastic pollution and how it affects our Ocean. Bars are cheaper than liquid soap, just as hygienic and last longer. An easy swap!
Day 12
– Harbour clean up: I had a lot going on this day, so I decided to do my bit for reducing plastic pollution by doing some litter picking on the way home from work. I see so many people walk straight past rubbish on the floor – but why!? It took zero time out of my day, it prevented a load of plastic being blown into the Ocean and I was able to recycle it afterwards. We really need to make it the norm to pick up waste when we see it! Be the change you want to see…
Day 13
– Donating to charity: There are a lot of charities working towards reducing plastic pollution. The Ocean Conservation Trust (who run the NMA), Surfers Against Sewage and 4Ocean are just a few of them. I chose to donate to Plastic Oceans, who educate and inspire people around the world to reduce their plastic footprint! If you have Netflix, I highly recommend watching their film ‘A Plastic Ocean’. It will be the motivation you need to get started on your plastic free journey!
Day 14
– Glass bottles: This one is simple. Instead of choosing the plastic squirty bottles of mayonnaise, ketchup etc., opt for the glass alternatives instead. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to have them at smaller stores, so make sure you make the odd visit to a larger supermarket to stock up!
So far, I have found this challenge to be straightforward, fun and rewarding! As I am putting a post on Facebook every day about my progress, I am sharing ideas with lots of others and hopefully inspiring them to do their bit. No doubt it will get a little trickier as the month goes on, so check out next week’s blog to find out how I’m doing ?