Look, it’s a tough year for plastic action. Between a pandemic, safety protection, businesses refusing reusables, firms buying up manufacturing plants and rock bottom oil prices making virgin plastic even cheaper to produce; the news on the plastic front is grim. But, Plastic Free July is nudging us to remember this ongoing environmental issue too.
This year, do what you can where it’s accessible to you. If you have a little more time on your hands, give some new recipes a whirl from scratch with produce you’ve bought whole and naked (plastic free) where possible. If you pick a room to think about, we’ve got a guide up on our site (under Guides) to create a zero/low waste bathroom.
Ultimately assessing plastic use leads us to analyze our consumption and think about different ways we can do things. We’re also all about budgeting and savings (working ethically in environmentalism doesn’t make you a millionaire _) so if you’re up for the challenge this month see what savings you can make by making your own things (particularly lunches, dinners and teas/coffees/smoothies), repairing clothes, using less items for convenience and switching to reusables.
Our plastic use absolutely has a massive impact on the world; it requires the destruction of the environment in the extraction of oil, contributes to climate change, and at end of life kills thousands of animals and clogs riverways. We’ve seen the devastation of plastic across the world. It is also a challenging time for many whether it’s job losses, a looming recession, the early start of a wildfire season, a pandemic, activism for racial justice or busily working on getting voters informed and enrolled. No matter where you are, there’s probably a lot going on. We can all be aware of our consumption, but also be kind to yourself. Some of this simply isn’t avoidable and it changes depending on your own circumstances.