Plastic-Free July!
Yay! It’s that time of year again! Plastic-Free July is a great way to create awareness around all of the single-use plastics we use in our daily lives. What are single-use plastics? Single-use plastics are plastic items we use once and then throw away. This refers to things like straws, cups, plastic-bags, cutlery, food packaging, and more.
Here’s our collection of 31 tips and swaps for avoiding single-use plastic in your everyday life – in no particular order 🙂
1. Before going into Plastic-Free July, check your trash and recycling
Probably the best place to start when trying to cut your single-use plastic use. Take a peek inside your trash can and recycling bin to see what’s in there most often. Plastic baggies? Food packaging? Soft drink bottles? Thinking about some plastic-free alternatives to these items can make a huge impact.
2. Bring your own reusable water bottle
Let’s start with the basics. Consistently drinking bottled water is terrible for the planet, unnecessary in most areas, and expensive! Consider a water filter and a reusable bottle instead.
3. Refuse single-use cutlery like plastic knives and forks
Consider bringing your own utensils while on the go instead. Just grab some from your utensil drawer at home and stick them in your bag, desk drawer, or car. Or, these zero-waste cutlery wraps are easy and convenient.
4. Say “No straw thanks!”
If a straw is necessary, consider a reusable straw in stainless steel or glass. Having a hard time remembering to bring a straw, or finding it inconvenient to carry one? A collapsible keychain style straw might be a great solution.
5. Refuse plastic cups like a smoothie or iced coffee cups
Bring your own reusable beverage container for a contact-free fill, or consider making your favorite drink at home. You’ll know exactly what’s in it too 🙂
6. Ditch single-serve prepackaged snacks
Something you eat in a few minutes doesn’t need to be packaged in something that will take hundreds of years to break down, right? Consider buying snacks in bulk or packaging-free, and dividing them into reusable washable snack bags or drop-tested glass containers.
7. Say no to freebies
Freebies can be fun, but often they’re just small plastic trinkets that are going to end up as waste. I mean, how badly do you really want that plastic cup with your bank advertisement on it?
Ask yourself a few questions. Is this something that I would purchase myself? How long will I keep this for? Where will it end up when I’m done with it? Keep in mind that many community recycling centers can’t take certain forms of plastics or small trinkets, and recycling them can only create issues at the recycling center.
8. Plastic-free sunscreen
Protecting your skin from extreme sun exposure is important, yet sunscreen is usually found in plastic tubes. Most of it also contains ingredients that have found to be harmful as well. Luckily you can find plastic-free sunscreen such as this SPF 50 sunscreen in a metal tin.
9. Use reusable shopping bags
Reusable bags. At the grocery store, farmer’s market, the mall, literally wherever.
10. Avoid prepackaged fruits and veggies
The less processed, the better. You can use reusable produce bags when shopping for fresh fruits and veggies, rather than the flimsy plastic bags found in the produce department. We love these ones. They’re practically weightless so the cashier doesn’t need to deduct the weight at the register.
11. Ditch plastic cling wrap
Need to cover a bowl? There are lots of solutions that aren’t plastic, including these elastic bowl covers that come in a bunch of sizes, or reusable beeswax wraps! You could also just use a plate that’s approximately the size of the bowl. Just set it on top and voila!
12. Plastic-free frozen treats
Homemade freeze pops are amazing and super easy with this stainless steel ice pop mold. You can make them with whatever you want! Mango? Yogurt? Blueberries? Chocolate pudding? … Mmm
13. Plastic-free shampoo bars
Shampoo bars help avoid plastic from shampoo bottles. They’re available in different formulas whether you have curly or textured hair, color-treated hair, dandruff-prone hair, or dry hair. They’re also awesome for travel – no leaks!
14. Plastic-free conditioner
You bet plastic-free conditioner is a thing too! You can find it in bar form or in refillable metal bottles
15. Plastic-free freezer storage
So, how do you store things without plastic zip bags? We love love love these glass storage containers. They’re much more durable than mason jars and made of high quality, drop tested, infinitely recyclable glass that will last for YEARS without staining. Freezer safe, dishwasher safe + microwaves safe – they’ll quickly become your go-to in the kitchen.
16. Plastic-free pits
Armpits that is – we’re talking deodorant! There are some really great formulas available completely plastic-free in recyclable glass jars. These are the formulas that we’ve personally tried and love.
17. Ditch plastic period.
Or on your period rather* Tampons are often wrapped in plastic or have plastic applicators. By switching to a reusable menstrual cup, you can save thousands of dollars and keep pounds of waste out of landfills.
18. Bar soap > body wash
While body wash comes in a plastic bottle, bar soap is available in recyclable cardboard packaging or even completely packaging-free
19. Choose glass over plastic
Glass is infinitely recyclable, whereas plastic is recycled into lower-quality plastic, and eventually can’t be recycled anymore. When possible, choose glass instead.
20. Plastic-free makeup?
Yes, plastic-free makeup exists! Or go without, you’re gorgeous!
21. Plastic-free dental floss
Plastic dental pick style flossers are small and tend to be found everywhere humans like to hang out. Beaches, parks, parking lots… Luckily they do make a plastic-free floss, like this one that comes in a refillable metal container.
22. Food and product packaging
Sometimes it feels like everything is wrapped in plastic. Even paper products, like toilet paper, often come wrapped in plastic. When you’re at the grocery store or planning meals, consider looking for products and foods that can be found loose or in bulk instead.
23. Plastic-free toothpaste
Toothpaste is another thing that usually comes in a plastic tube. Luckily, it’s also available in a metal tube or in powder form in glass packaging
24. Get out of here plastic ear swabs!
Plastic earbud handles are a prime example of a place unnecessary plastic can appear. Bamboo ear swabs are an easy swap and it doesn’t change the function at all.
25. 86 the soft drinks
That’s restaurant talk for no more soft drinks. Consider a soda stream instead to whip up some unique concoctions!
26. Laundry soap
When we picture laundry soap, we often picture a big plastic bottle, or maybe pods in a plastic tub. Consider this zero waste laundry powder packaged in a simple paper bag, or these plastic-free laundry pods available in bulk online
27. Plastic-free shaving
Shaving without plastic? Yep! We did it for years before razor companies decided to make cartridges that are razor-specific to make a lot of money off of us. A reusable safety razor like this one in rose gold or this one with a bamboo handle is not only affordable, but any standard double-edged replacement blade will fit. These stainless steel blades are awesome and start at less than .25/blade
28. Plastic in gift wrapping
Ribbon often ends up in our oceans creating a danger for animals, who can easily become caught in it. Instead of ribbon, try raffia or paper cutout decorations. A great alternative to plastic tape is paper tape (like the stuff we use in eco girl shop orders) or washi style tape (the colorful, more decorative tape found at craft stores).
29. Even if you’re participating in Plastic-Free July, you don’t need to make all of these changes as once
Especially the ones you think will be very challenging for you. You don’t have to implement a new practice every day during Plastic-Free July, and you definitely don’t have to go almost entirely plastic-free overnight. In fact, in order to create lasting habits, it may be better to start with making just a couple of changes at a time.
30. Don’t toss it
Often people will say “I just threw out all of my plastic and replaced it with glass and metal!” While it’s awesome to make efforts toward a plastic-free life, it’s pretty wasteful to throw perfectly good things away unused.
Consider using up the single-use plastic that you have before you make the switch, or donating it to someone you know who will definitely use it. You can also store these times as backup (disposable plastic party cups for example).
31. Have fun! Don’t beat yourself up if you forget your grocery bags once and a while
Chances are, you’re reading this post because you understand the many issues with single-use plastic and you’re ready to make a difference. You are such a beautiful person and the world needs more people like you! You won’t do plastic-free perfectly. Nobody does. Single-use plastic is everywhere in our society as a result of larger issues. Do what you can whenever you can. Each choice you make is a win, so give yourself a little hug and pat on the back every time.
You go, Eco Girl! Have a great Plastic-Free July and beyond!
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