Are you ready to take the Plastic Free July challenge? This summer, we invite you to join this global movement encouraging people to reduce their dependence on single-use plastics and build more eco-friendly lifestyle habits. This blog will highlight some easy steps you can take to be part of the solution to plastic pollution.
Reducing the use of single-use plastics is important to maintaining the health of our communities and environment. Single-use plastic items generate a massive amount of waste and do not break down naturally over time. Instead, they become toxic microplastics that harm our watersheds, wildlife, and ecosystems. Additionally, the production of plastics requires extracting crude oil and emits high volumes of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
The overuse of single-use plastics also carries negative implications for human health. Many single-use plastics contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs), also known as "forever chemicals", that never leave the environment and can lead to a variety of health issues. Cutting down on the production and consumption of single-use plastics, therefore, is an impactful way to limit environmental exposure to PFAs, microplastics, and other harmful chemicals found in plastic.
There are many different actions you can take to refuse single-use plastics in your day-to-day life. Consider choosing just one, or for more of challenge, try going completely plastic-free! Here are a few ideas:
For a more comprehensive list of ways to avoid single-use plastics, check out the official Plastic Free July website.
Schools often rely heavily on single-use plastics, from the cafeteria to the classroom and beyond. Getting your school to reduce waste and educating students, staff, and parents about the effects of plastic pollution can make a huge difference! Here are a couple of ideas for getting started:
You can read more about these ideas here. To sign up for the Plastic Free Schools challenge and gain access to a range of free resources, stories, activities, and more, click here.
When you subscribe to the blog, we will send you an e-mail when there are new updates on the site so you wouldn't miss them.