20 Great Plastic Busting Ideas to try in #PlasticFreeJuly

Plastic Free July is upon us, challenging us to go plastic free for a month.  Wow - just think how great things would be if we all did that but some people have, quite rightly, said they cannot go plastic free for all sorts of reasons - food may not be available to them without plastic or it may be too expensive.  They may need medical supplies than come in plastic or have to buy things for family members that are plastic.  But I say to you all, don't be put off Plastic Free July because you don't think you can manage to go plastic free for the month. Instead do the very best that you can and use the month as a stepping stone to a plastic reduced life thereafter.  Here are 20 things you can do to help yourself on that journey.

20 Great Plastic Busting Ideas

1. Remember that every piece of plastic you reject is a win.
2. Do a plastic audit in your house and bin so you can identify where your household plastic lurks. 
3. Use the month to research out plastic free alternatives.
4. Focus on eliminating single use plastic - this blog post on ditching disposables might help
5. If you have to buy plastic then contact the manufacturer/shop saying you want to see change - call them out on social media.  If they send you back a cut andpaste corporate answer, ask for specific answers to your plastic related questions
6. Go on a litter pick.
7. Write to your MP asking what they will do to reduce plastic.
8. Look at your workplace - can plastic be reduced there?
9. Liaise with your children's school/clubs or your own college/university/clubs to help reduce plastic.
10. If you are feeling a bit rebellious, when you end up buying plastic, unwrap the items and dump it at till.
11. Research where your nearest zero waste shop is - if it is a bit far join up up with friends and do a bulk buy together.
12. Join plastic busting/zero-waste Facebook groups and follow accounts like Pointless Packaging on Instagram.
13. Party time?  Why not link up with other parents or the PTA to make a party pack of reusable plates etc.
14. If you are having a BBQ and might previously have used plastic plates why not do what everyone here in France does and just ask your guests to being their own. 
15. Set yourself one food challenge a week to reduce plastic.  Pick 4 foods you buy in plastic and make them at home
16. Learn where plastic is to be found - did you know it is in many teabags and most wet wipes?  Become plastic savvy!
17. Find out if you have local milk delivery and sign up.  Maybe this doesn't work for you all the time but every glass bottle helps reduce plastic milk bottles
18. Sign up for a veg box delivery.
19. Talk to your kids about reducing plastic and what changes you will all need to make as a family.
20. Shout about your successes on social media and remember to use the hashtag #PlasticFreeJuly.

Did you know it only takes 21 days of doing something new for it to become a habit?  That's right, just 21 days to make rejecting plastic a habit.  21 days to save the planet from the scourge of single use plastic.  It's not much is it?

 What will you be doing to reduce plastic through Plastic Free July?

Other posts you might like to read:

12 ways to wean yourself of supermarket plastic      

When supermarkets need a pat on the back