The first time we heard of Plastic Free July (PFJ) was in an email from our friends at Sustainable Table. We were looking for a new focus so we checked out the website and decided to ‘Take the challenge’.
Now if you’re like we were and have never heard of Plastic Free July, let us explain. This initiative started back in 2011 in Western Australia by Rebecca Prince Ruiz, the founder of the Plastic Free Foundation. The vision is to work towards a world free of plastic waste. Sounds amazing right? Well, from humble beginnings back in 2011, this initiative has spread worldwide, with millions of people in over 150 countries each year joining up to ‘Take the challenge’.
Keep reading to see what we learnt along the way that may help you on your journey to a low waste lifestyle. And if you’re looking for some zero waste essentials to get you started, check out our aptly named Zero Waste Everyday Essentials Bundle. It’s got everything you need to start swapping out those single use plastics and do Plastic Free July in style!
We offer free low waste shipping Australia wide with no minimum purchase
Be Aware
In our seemingly busy lifestyles, one of the most beneficial things we can each do is to stop and be mindful. Once we signed up to the challenge we suddenly saw our life through new eyes. We became aware of all the packaging we were mindlessly purchasing from the supermarket each week. We became aware of the amount of advertising materials that were pushed upon us. We became aware we needed to make some changes. Take a look around your home and see if you have ‘stuff’ that you don’t need or could be bought differently.
Be Informed
Through the PFJ challenge we started to become educated. We learnt about plastic (did you know that the top 3 single use plastic items are disposable coffee cups, straws and water bottles?) and how to #choosetorefuse. We were guided through weekly emails on the things we could do, such as learning how to identify where our waste is coming from by doing a bin audit (sounds gross but it was very informative!). Becoming informed is so motivating!
Be Part of a Community
For us the challenge became like a drug and we wanted to keep finding out more. We had no idea there was a whole zero waste living community out there. We joined facebook groups and followed bloggers online. We even went to some public talks in our local community. Some of our favourite people in this community are @gippslandunwrapped, @treadingmyownpath and @zerowastehome . These people, plus others you find along the way, will provide you with the inspiration to keep challenging yourself.
You can also join our community! Whenever you make a purchase, you have the option of receiving our monthly Low Waste Journal email, which is jam packed full of our best advice, tips and tricks for living the low waste lifestyle.
Be Prepared
Our Zero Waste Everyday Essentials Bundle is perfect for Plastic Free July. If you’re new to the low waste lifestyle, it has everything you need to start making those small changes and swapping out single use plastics. If you’ve been working away at getting rid of plastic and waste for a while, it’s a good chance to gift it to a loved one and get them started on their low waste journey.
What’s included in the Zero Waste Everyday Essentials Bundle:
- 1 x Stainless Steel Drink Bottle
- 1 x Bamboo Coffee Cup
- 5 x Organic Cotton Produce Bags
- 1 x Organic Cotton Bread Bag
- 1 x Bamboo Toothbrush
- 1 x Cleansing Bar
With this bundle you’ll be eliminating disposable coffee cups, single use plastic bags from the bakery and green grocer, plastic toothbrushes and plastic bottles. This will give you a great place to start with Plastic Free July.
Be Patient
There’s lots of information around Plastic Free July, but it’s totally up to the individual to choose what changes to make and when. This is not a ‘click your fingers and we’re there’ process. It’s something that will take time and grow gradually. Don’t be hard on yourself if you’re not perfect - no one is!
By undertaking Plastic Free July we came to realise that through our daily choices, we can all have an impact. Whether it’s eliminating disposable coffee cups by taking your own reusable cup or swapping the plastic produce bags for reusable ones, those everyday changes become a new way of life. A low waste kind of life. So, whether you’re new to the whole low waste living scene or a seasoned campaigner, PFJ has something for everyone.
Why don’t you get organised and ‘Take the challenge’? We’ll be with you every step of the way - look out for next month’s blog post where we’ll break down exactly how to do this challenge wherever you are on your low waste journey.
Don't forget that we offer free shipping Australia-wide with absolutely no minimum purchase making it even more affordable to make a change and #choosetoreuze