By Lesley Webb Peacesake's sustainability editor
Could you avoid buying plastic for one week? Or avoid buying plastic for one month?
The Plastic Free July campaign was created by Rebecca Prince-Ruiz. Rebecca is the founder of the Plastic Free Foundation whose goals are striving towards a plastic free world. This movement has spread all over the world to bring awareness to the abundance of our unnecessary plastic usage everyday.
Unfortunately, our plastic waste is not only found in our recycle centers. Plastic waste ends up on the ground we walk on, landfills, our precious oceans, and even exported around the world in developing countries. Reducing our plastic consumption will greatly reduce our plastic waste.
You can take part in this environmental campaign by attempting to avoid plastic for the month of July. However, everyone does not have the ability to completely avoid plastic for one month, and that’s okay.
Avoiding plastic is not easy when the items we regularly buy from a grocery store contain some type of plastic. The first steps to avoiding plastic is a challenge, but with a mindful conscious, little steps can make a difference.
Avoid Single Use Plastic Items
Grocery stores can be a huge contributor to single use plastics. Single use plastics are plastic items with one life and one usage, then thrown away or recycled. Try to shop for food stored in glass, aluminum, paper, or package free. B.Y.O.B (Bring Your Own Bag) when you’re shopping for package free fruits and veggies.
Consider shopping at local farmers markets to broaden your search for plastic free items. Mom’s Organic Market is well known for selling many food items package free.
If you can’t avoid items in plastic containers, save the container to wash and reuse. Reuse plastic containers for plant seed starters, food storage, or other creative ways to organize and store items. Going plastic free does not mean to throw away your old plastic containers - think about how to reuse and lessen your plastic waste.
Attempting to avoid plastic does not have to end after one month. You can continue practicing mindfulness by choosing nonplastic items or choosing package free. Share these simple steps with family and friends! We have the power to make a collective difference for a plastic free or low plastic usage world!
Live Mindfully. Live Sustainably.
Links:
Plastic Free July
Mom’s Organic Market
Lesley Webb — Peacesake’s Sustainability Editor
Lesley is a Virginia Beach native who is passionate about environmental conservation. With a degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Lynchburg, her interest bloomed in sustainable living. As a sustainability advocate, she is eager to spread knowledge on reducing waste and lowering your carbon footprint in order to reduce our impact on the environment. Lesley strives to live mindfully with an eco-conscious lifestyle through food, products, health, and education. With this blog, Lesley intends to spread simple sustainably mindful practices.