Welcome to the first post of my new blogging series Plastic-free Me. This is to be a collection of posts I will write as I prepare for Plastic Free July 2014. July is the month that has been earmarked by a campaign, initiated in Australia, that now aims to raise awareness of the massive consumption of single-use plastics throughout the world. The goal is to cut out completely (eek!) those plastics that we use for sometimes just a matter of minutes that potentially end up in landfill forever more.
So, what am I talking about? Let me give you some examples…
Shampoo bottles, drinking straws, plastic shopping bags, clingfilm, toothpaste tubes, bin bags, cellophane wrappers, liquid soap dispensers, disposable cutlery, sweet wrappers, freezer bags, plastic food trays, yogurt pots, milk cartons, nappy sacks, plastic packaging….
Get the idea?
For those of you that follow my Meaner Greener Me blog series you will know that I flirted with Plastic Free July in 2013, made a bit of an effort and changed a few of my habits – some were temporary and others have stuck. The underlying mood of my posts though was I can’t do this! I can’t do this!
However, the concept of single-use plastics somehow lodged itself in my mind and wouldn’t get out. No matter how much I didn’t want to feel guilty about buying biscuits double wrapped in plastic packaging, I did start to feel the negative impact… Suddenly single-use plastics that were just background to my life were jumping up and down, waving their arms and reminding me that I am contributing to a serious global environmental problem.
So instead of allowing them to taunt me, I’m going to take some action.
I intend to take part in Plastic Free July 2014. This time, instead of thinking that I can’t really do it, I’m going to give it my best shot. I have nine months to prepare. (As a mother, I am only too aware of the amazing things that can be achieved in nine months…) I am going to observe where I consume single-use plastics in my life and see what changes can be made.
July is only 31 days, how hard can it be?
Anyone want to join me in committing to Plastic Free July next year?
As ever I welcome your feedback and comments. If you have any plastic-free tips for me, please let me know so that I can tackle this challenge with gusto and enthusiasm and aim to succeed.
PS: For a bit more reading please see the official website http://www.plasticfreejuly.org/ and the post I read on this excellent blog http://treadingmyownpath.com which I found hugely inspirational and me interested in Plastic Free July in the first place!
Relevant posts on my blog:
Meaner Greener Me: Plastic Free July
westywrites 
Good luck! 9 months is an excellent amount of time to prepare! It’s all the preparation and planning that makes it work. Once you know which cardboard packets contain sneaky plastic and which don’t, and you have a mini-library of knowledge in your mind of what plastic-free things you can find where, you’ll find it so much easier! And it won’t feel so much hassle either. Looking forward to hearing about it : )
Thanks! You inspired me in the first place 🙂 Yes, I would like to do my homework and do as well as I can in July but hopefully make a few lifestyle changes too.
(Blushes) I’ve been reading all your posts today (just got back from 10 days away) and you’ve certainly been busy! Looking forward to reading the next ones too : )
Aw, thanks so much for reading and your comments. I really enjoy doing the blog and finding plastic-free alternatives but it’s lovely to know people are reading too, it spurs me on!
What a great idea… doing away with anything that is single-use (without good reason – I can name a few things I don’t want to use twice!) can only be good.
Hopefully it’s a great idea – I certainly shouldn’t run out of material to write about! 😉
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I went (nearly) plastic free two years ago. I found food was the most difficult area, but now I have shopping down (I’ve always cooked a lot from scratch anyway). I eat zero processed food, bring my cloth produce bags to the store and farmer’s market, buy in bulk using glass jars (after I get the jars weighed). I also make deodorant and detergent. Still, the plastic creeps in here and there. For example, people give me stuff–presents, food, random things–and I don’t know how to say “Oh no thank you…it’s packaged in plastic crap…I don’t want it.” Doesn’t seem very polite…
I agree. A year ago I don’t think I ever thought about plastic so although triple plastic wrapped gifts make me squirm now, I don’t want to be rude about them as there is no malice intended! I think Plastic Free July is great as an awareness raiser and for gradually changing habits. Well done on making such progress, it’s so difficult, plastic is everywhere!!
It is everywhere! MyPlasticFreeLife.com is another awesome resource. It helped me get started.
Good idea! It really does take a long time to sort out sources and alternatives to plastic.
If you want, I have a small plastic free Facebook group that I’ve created to discuss and show options, and plastic free news. https://www.facebook.com/groups/497501376937371/.
Oh thanks! I’m not on Facebook but I’ll see if I can find a way to take a look. Good luck to you all – and thanks for posting the link, I can see all the views in my stats 🙂
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Thanks so much for linking to my blog! I must learn how to comment on blogs and I must take a better look at yours (which looks great from the little I’ve seen). My time is so limited for blogging (I steal it from my chores and am drowning in mess as a result) that I don’t get to do all the browsing and commenting that would be fun. Thanks for your support and good luck!
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