If we say “July”, what does it evoke in you?
Sun? Summer? Exams, for some, or holidays, for others?
July often rhymes with good news. A month to slow our rhythm down, enjoy some long evenings with friends and family, a month full of promises for the next half of the year. Well, when we say “July”, we think about plastic. Yes, plastic. But in a good way, for once 😊
When we think about July, we think about Plastic Free July.
But what is it all about, where does this organisation come from, and what impact does this movement have? And, most importantly, how can we take part in its effort for 2021?
Plastic Free July – in a nutshell
Plastic Free July is a global movement launched by the Plastic Free Foundation. The organisation encourages people worldwide to rethink their relationship to single-use plastic and improve their recycling habits. In short, the movement is all about making you part of the plastic pollution solution.
From Australia, with love
Plastic Free July was born in Australia, the land of kangaroos, bushes, sea, surf, and, unfortunately, like most parts of our planet, plastic waste pollution.
“It all started ten years ago when I visited my local waste sorting facility. The same site that my household recycling went to after I threw it away in the bin and left it out for the council to pick up every other week,” explains Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, founder of the Plastic Free July & Foundation.
In 2011, Rebecca Prince-Ruiz challenged herself to adopt a plastic-free approach for 31 consecutive days after visiting her local waste sorting facility. “I was shocked by the volume of waste. It was the day that changed everything for me,” says Rebecca Prince-Ruiz.
Her challenge worked so well that she decided to think bigger.
Together with a small team, she chose to think and act on a larger scale, inviting millions of people across the globe to take part in her experiment. And in a few years, the fight against single-use plastic that Rebecca started, rapidly became one of the most popular environmental campaigns in the world.
2020 Plastic Free July report highlights
Last year’s figures were promising and, we hope, are on the path of being even more significant in 2021.
Because the COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted how our natural and societal systems are connected and interdependent, more and more people understand why now is a great time to act and join efforts against single-use plastic. Where should we start? How can we beat the 2020 records?
Top 5 tips for joining the Plastic Free July challenge
How can we make this year’s Plastic Free July an even greater success?
The best way to start your Plastic Free journey is to target one single-use plastic to avoid at a time. Pause and look around your home, your school or office. Pick up where you see the most plastic and start looking for sustainable and better alternatives.
Find out more tips on how to reduce your single-plastic consumption here
Joining forces against single-use plastic waste
July, beyond evoking sunshine, pools and festivals, is the month to fight against single-use plastic.
Join the movement together with Bambaw and help us exceed the 900 million KG of plastic waste avoided last year. During the whole month of July, we are mobilising eco-warriors around the globe to participate in the Plastic Free July eco-challenges.
Let’s make Plastic Free July unforgettable this year. Full of sun, friends, family but without single-use plastic.
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