The zero waste movement goes on every day — but if there's any time to get started, it's now. For the entire month of July, people all over the world will take part in Plastic Free July, a global challenge to reduce personal consumption of single-use plastic. The prospect of not using any plastic for an entire month may sound impossible — and unfortunately, it pretty much is. But that's not meant to be discouraging. It's meant to show that Plastic Free July isn't about perfection (and neither is the zero-waste movement), so don't let the fear of not being perfect hold you back from trying.
With the world still facing the COVID-19 pandemic, it may be trickier than usual to avoid single-use plastic this July — and that's completely understandable. It's important to prioritize our health and safety above being zero-waste, so please don't be hard on yourself. But for instances when it is possible to use something reusable instead of something single-use, health experts do agree that reusables are just as safe as single-use items.
When Plastic Free July began in Western Australia in 2011, a mere 40 people signed up to the challenge. Their movement has inspired over 250 million participants in 177 countries, including New Zealand. You making a small change will collectively make a massive difference to our communities. You can choose to refuse single-use plastics in July (and beyond!).
Being part of Plastic Free July will help you to find great alternatives that can become new habits forever. Start your zero-waste journey. Swap your disposable coffee cups for a reusable cup; or bring your own containers to our shot bar (3 Virginia Avenue, Eden Terrace, Auckland) to get freshly roasted Organico coffee with zero-waste.
More information on our Zero-Waste shot bar: Zero-Waste
Take the challenge here: PlasticFreeJuly
And if you would like to donate: Donate
Source: Greenmatters/Plastic Free July: 5 Tips for Reducing Disposables for the Summer Challenge