You Can Prevent Plastic Pollution Now: Plastic-Free July

Jaceybonavia/ Climate, Conservation, Microplastics, Pollution, Water, Wildlife, Zero Waste

Why Does Plastic Have a Bad Reputation?

Fossil Fuels

Manufacturers make plastic from petroleum–a harmful, non-renewable fossil fuel contributing to the climate crisis.

Beyond its role in the climate crisis, plastic is a major source of pollution.

Plastic Pollution

Lifespan

Plastic–although sometimes designed for only moments of use–lasts forever. Plastic objects break into smaller and smaller microplastics.

Most plastics are ultimately sent to a landfill, burned, or flow into an ocean. In the landfill, they release harmful chemicals that percolate into groundwater. Burned, they pollute the air. In oceans, they leach toxic chemicals and are disastrous to wildlife.

Sadly, very few plastics are ultimately recycled, and recycling is not a perfect solution.

Oceans

Plastic litter often finds its way to waterways. From there, it eventually flows into our oceans, which we are filling with plastic

In fact, in 2016 (and again in 2017) the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and World Economic Forum published a report predicting that, by 2050, there will be more plastic in the oceans by weight than fish.

In a business-as-usual scenario, the ocean is expected to
contain 1 tonne of plastic for every 3 tonnes of fish by 2025,
and by 2050, more plastics than fish (by weight).
The New Plastic Economy: Rethinking the Future of Plastics

This is problematic for many reasons, including the following:

Plastics contain, leach, and attract toxic chemicals and other pollutants.
Animals eat the plastics. This can poison the animals or cause them to starve. Seriously. Chris Jodan stunningly documented the heart-wrenching impact of plastic on albatross.
Humans eat animals, like fish, who themselves ate plastic. When we do this, we are also ingesting the plastics and their endocrine disrupters. Yikes!
Animals get tangled in–or otherwise injured by–plastic. For example, you likely know about the sea turtle with a plastic drinking straw in their nostril.

If you aren’t convinced yet, check out the award-winning 2016 documentary, A Plastic Ocean. It changed my view of plastic forever.

To learn more about all the ways that plastics are harmful, check out the Plastic Pollution Coalition’s website! I am a proud coalition member.

This is an image of an albatross. Plastic pollution in the oceans threatens them. — Albatross

This is a sea turtle. Plastic pollution in the ocean is harmful to them. — Albatross

What is Plastic-Free July?

Plastic-Free July Challenge

Now that you know the dangers of plastic, you can help alleviate the problem.

In 2011, Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, the Plastic Free Foundation founder, launched the Plastic Free July challenge. It is now an initiative of the Plastic Free Foundation, and people and organizations worldwide participate every July.

The Plastic Free July challenge encourages us to refuse single-use plastics to reduce plastic pollution.

For example, you can use metal safety razors instead of “disposable” plastic razors. If you menstruate, you can use a cup, reusable cloth pads, or period panties rather than traditional tampons and pads. You might even choose to purchase fewer items.

Why Participate?

By participating, you will reduce plastic pollution. As the Plastic Free Foundation states, “we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities.”

Together, millions of us reducing our reliance on single-use plastics will add up to make a huge difference. You are an important part of this movement!

Plastic water bottle polluting water. — Single-use plastic water bottles contribute to plastic pollution.

How to Sign Up

You do NOT need to sign up to participate. If you sign up through the Plastic Free Foundation, I believe they will send you weekly emails to guide you.

Plastic Free Foundation’s Challenge Sign-up: https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/take-the-challenge/

If you don’t want to sign up for emails from an organization you aren’t familiar with, that’s okay. You can sign up for my emails to get sustainability tips all year long. Don’t worry; I won’t overwhelm you with emails.

July #WildSustainabilityChallenge

Refuse all single-use products, and reduce the amount of plastic you purchase overall.

You can do it! Let us know how the challenge is going in the comments below, Facebook, or Instagram! Tag me @wildsustainability, and use the hashtag #WildSustainabilityChallenge.