Plastic has become a problem and because it’s so visible we cannot ignore the dangers it poses to our planet.

Hundreds of news articles have been written about the rise of plastic waste and with it plastic pollution, and while there’s no denying that plastic is everywhere nowadays, there is also some confusion as to why plastic is so bad for our planet. After all, it’s still mass-produced.

What is Plastic Free July?

Plastic Free July is a global movement where the main goal is to help millions of people to be a part of the solution to plastic pollution. This initiative has inspired 100+ million participants in 190 countries.

There are resources and ideas to help millions of people around the world reduce single-use plastic waste every day at home, work, school, and even at your local café.

By taking small steps, we can have cleaner oceans, streets, and beautiful communities.

Best of all, being part of Plastic Free July will help you to find great alternatives that can become new habits forever.

Why is it important?

Plastics are made from unsustainable materials including coal, natural gases, and crude oil, and then the resulting plastics are not all recyclable. Here are some interesting facts:

1. The equivalent of a garbage truck full of plastic is dumped into the ocean every minute.
2. Nearly all plastic ever produced still exists.
3. All ocean pollution comes from land.
4. By 2050 it is projected that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean.
5. One in four fish tested contains plastic.
6. Tens of thousands of marine animals are killed every year from plastic litter.

Plastic waste doesn’t decompose, meaning it can last and continue to hurt us in many various ways. This is why this has to be a team effort to tackle plastic pollution.

What can you do to make a difference?

What sort of things can residents of Castle Vale and surrounding areas do to get involved and change our everyday environment? Well, we can start by using more of the alternatives that we have out there.

We have many environmentally friendly alternatives such as stainless steel, glass, bamboo, natural fibre cloth and ceramics.

Here are five things that you could do to help.

1. Replace plastic bottles and single-use cups, because glass is better for the environment.
2. Plastic grocery bags can be replaced with reusable ones.
3. There are lots of organisations that make it easy to take action and help fix some of the damage already done from pollution. You can find one that works for you and you can make a difference by helping out.
4. Say no to straws.
5. Store your leftovers with silicone covers.

Besides this, trying to use less plastic and keeping our environment cleaner will make a big difference.

It’s not easy changing our old habits, but it will be good in the long run for us and for our environment.

Find out more about Plastic Free July here.