July is the perfect time to participate in plastic free July swaps! During the summertime, plastic waste goes up by 40% (source)! Even as a busy mom, it is incredibly important to be conscious of the amount of plastic in our lives. Reducing plastic consumption is not only good for the environment, but also for our health. Here are 31 ideas to reduce your plastic consumption during the month of July!
This post is all about plastic free July swaps to celebrate plastic free July, all month long!
What is Plastic Free July?
Plastic-free July is a global movement! Created by the Plastic Free Foundation, plastic-free July is an initiative all around the world involving millions of people. The goal of Plastic-Free July is to reduce the amount of plastic pollution found around the world.
Plastic-free July is also an opportunity to access the amount of plastic we use in our everyday life and make plans to find more eco-conscious alternatives.
Sign up here to join the official Plastic Free July Challenge!
The Plastic Problem
Have you heard of the plastic problem? Plastic is a material made of fossil fuels. Plastics became popular in the 1960s. Since then, plastic has become so widely used it is almost impossible to avoid.
Plastics are:
- Cheap
- Convenient
- Durable
- Multi-functional
When looking through Amazon or in the grocery store for items, there is an incredible difference in price between plastic and other materials. The cheap price and lightweight material of plastics help to make plastics an easy and obvious choice for most people. The United States generates about 53kg (about 116 pounds) of plastic waste per person. This makes the U.S. the second-largest generator of plastics per person (source).
Plastics are not only toxic, they are not biodegradable, and not readily recyclable.
Plastics take hundreds, sometimes thousands of years to break down. This is even more of a problem because about 50% of the plastics on Earth are only used for a few minutes! So the plastic container your afternoon lunch came in holds your lunch for a short period of time, but after being disposed of is left in the landfill for at least a few hundred years. That is unless it is incinerated, which is a whole other eco-conscious topic for discussion!
Most people respond to this information by saying they recycle most of their plastic. In which my answer is usually, I hope not! The truth is, that most plastic is not recyclable. In fact, only about 9% of plastic gets recycled. Before you recycle anything, always check your local county/city website to see what is actually recyclable. You may be surprised it is much less than you think.
31 Plastic Free July Swaps:
1: Avoid plastic soap bottles
Instead, choose zero-waste bar soaps or soap in aluminum bottles. Here are a few of my favorites:
2: Make your cleaner plastic free.
Instead of buying cleaner in plastic spray bottles, try these awesome plastic free alternatives or make your own.
Plastic Free Cleaners
DIY Cleaning
Baking Soda
Excellent ways to use baking soda:
- Fridge deodorizer
- Air freshener
- Laundry freshener
- Removes carpet stains
- Removes pesticides from fruits and veggies
Laundry Detergent + Water
If you’re looking for a fresh way to clean foam mats and spot-clean your kids’ playroom rugs, try this eco friendly cleaning solution! Be sure to use non-toxic laundry detergent for this!
Here is my favorite plastic-free, non-toxic laundry detergent!
Related Posts:
- The Best Sustainable Cleaning Products For Busy Moms
- The Best Non Toxic Bathtub Cleaner To Clean Your Bathroom Quickly
- The Only Eco-Friendly Cleaning Routine You Need This Fall
3: Buy loose fruits and veggies
Skip the plastic bag at the grocery store! Instead of placing your fruit and veggies in a plastic bag, place them directly into your shopping car or use these mesh produce bags!
4: Use reusable storage bags
Stasher bags are my favorite! They’re not only durable and easy to use, but they’re also efficient. They are non-toxic and can be cleaned in the dishwasher and put into the microwave! Although these bags are more pricey, they’re worth the price! Instead of buying all my bags at once, I buy a few at a time to build up a stash. These reusable storage bags make excellent plastic free July swaps!
Another cost effective option is to continue using the disposable plastic bags you’ve already purchased. Wash and allow the bags to air dry for reuse.
According to research, In 2015 about 730,000 tons of plastic bags, sacks and wraps were generated (including PS, PP, HDPE, PVC & LDPE) in the United States, but more than 87% of those items are never recycled, winding up in landfills and the ocean. Instead of allowing the plastic to pile up in the landfill, choose to resue.
5: Refuse single-use condiments from restaurants/fast food establishments
When ordering take out, check to see if the restaurant gives you an option to refuse single-use condiments. If not, check for a comment or special request box on your orders. There you can note that you do not need plastic utensils and condiments! I find that when ordering take out, I most likely have the condiments I need at home already, and using single use packets just contributes to plastic waste.
6: Choose Plastic Free Gum
Did you know gum contains plastic? Yup! Up to 30% of your chewing gum is actually made of plastic. In addition, most gum doesn’t make it to the trashcan and instead is littered on the ground making it another source of plastic in nature (source).
My favorite plastic free gum is Glee Gum!
7: Use a reusable grocery bag or skip the bag altogether
Plastic bag bans are becoming much more popular at grocery stores, making this swap a lot easier. Don’t forget your reusable bags when you’re going shopping this summer! If you do, challenge yourself to carry your items out in your hand or your cart and skip the bag altogether.
8: Use wool dryer balls
9: Use reusable straws
Instead of using single-use plastic straws, try using reusable straws! Bring your own or keep a set at home to use.
10: Use a bamboo or reusable toothbrush
11: Ditch plastic bottles for a reusable water bottle
Plastic water bottles are considered single-use plastics. On average, every person in the US purchases 13 water bottles per month (source). Instead of spending money and plastic on water bottles, use your reusable water bottle instead!
12: Conduct a litter cleanup
Litter on the ground becomes trash in our waterways. Removing litter form the ground helps to keep plastic pollutin and other trash from getting into our oceans. In addition, it prevents animals from consuming plastic thinking it is food. In total, more than 300,000 tons of plastic are improperly disposed of (source). Whether your’re conducing a large cleanup or just picking up trash as you see it, it makes a difference!
13: Purchase eggs in paper cartons or from the Farmer’s Market
Instead of choosing eggs in styrofoam packaging and plastic containers, choose eggs from the Farmer’s Market or in paper packaging.
14: Buy milk and juice in cartons or glass
Plastic free July swaps can be as simple as the milk you choose! Instead of purchasing milk in a plastic jug, buy milk and juice in cartons or glass!
15: Use a reusable coffee mug
Did you know that disposable coffee cups are lined with plastic? This helps to store the hot liquid without burning your hands. Instead of a disposable cup, bring your own reusale cup!
16: Ask for paper bags at the grocery store
If you forget your reusable bags (it happens to us all!), opt for paper bags instead of plastic bags. Not only can paper bags be reused, they can also be composted!
17: Avoid plastic packaging
During Plastic Free July pay special attention to plastic packaging and avoid it!
18: Try Grove Collaborative
I love Grove Collaboative! I love Grove because they are committed to reducing the amount of plastic sold within thier shop. Today, every purchase from Grove Collaborative is plastic neutral. Your orders are also shipped plastic free!
19: Shop in bulk
Have you considered shopping in bulk? Shopping at bulk stores is a great option to decrease plastic during Plastic Free July. If you don’t have a bulk store, try to purchase items in larger packages instead of individually wrapped items. This may not eliminate your plastic consumption, but it will help to reduce your plastic.
20: Use glass containers to store food
21: Ask for “no straw”
Americans use half a billion drinking straws a day (source)! Don’t forget to ask for no straw when you’re at a resturant this July. Remember, it is always best to reduce as often as you can.
22: Try reusable popsicle molds at home
23: Choose ice cream cones instead of cups at icecream shops
How does ice cream relate to plastic free July swaps? Ice cream cones are zero waste! Yup, think about it. Getting a cone instead of a cup elimiates the waste and plastic!
24: Visit a farmer’s market (bring your own bags!)
Getting fruits and veggies from local farmers at a farmer’s market is not only better for the environment, it supports the local community. In addition, this plastic free July swap helps to reduce the amount of packaging that easily accumulates when shopping for fruits and veggies at grocery stores. By brining your own bags to the farmer’s market, you can eliminate or reduce the plastic.
25: Collect plastic bags and return them to a local store for recycling
Plastic bags should never be placed in curbside recycling bins unless specifically noted they are accpeted in the area you live. Most commonly, plastic bags are considered a “wrappable” item. This is because the plastic bags can wrap around equipment and cause it to jam or break.
Take your plastic bags to special recycling bins designed specifically for plastic bags. These are usally found in front of grocery markets and stores like Target.
26: Buy detergent in plastic free packaging
Have you ever considered how much waste we accumulate with laundry detergent bottles. Even if you recycle the bottles, remember only 9% of plastic actually gets recycled. Try purchaisng detergent plastic free! Here are some plastic free July swaps for detergent:
27: Try plastic free deodorant
Choosing a safer deodorant with less packaging is a great way to make a Plastic Free July swap. Luckily, eco friendly deodorant is becoming much more popular and is increasing in accessibility. Here are is one of my favorite deodorants to decrease your plastic consumption during Plastic Free July.
28: Avoid plastic utensils
During the summertime, it is so easy to grab disposable utensils for easy clean-up. However, consider this: every disposable utensil you’ve ever used is most likely still sitting around on the planet somewhere! In fact, each year Each year 40,000,000,000 plastic forks, spoons, and knives are used and thrown away each year (source).
Instead of using disposal cutlery, use traditional reusable forks, spoons, and knives. When grabbing to-go orders at restaurants, refuse the disposable utensils.
Personally, I like to pack a to-go kit. This kit helps me remember my reusable straws/utensils and easily fits in my purse for easy access.
29: Switch to beeswax wrap instead of plastic wrap
I love beeswax wrap because it is long-lasting and durable! Instead of plastic wrap, make the switch to beeswax wrap! I love using beeswax wrap as a plastic free alternative because it can be used over and over again, making it number 29 on our list of perfect plastic free July swaps.
These beeswax wraps are made from organic cotton and packaged in recycled paper packaging. Like plastic wrap, they’re sticky, which makes them adhere to the container or item they’re wrapping up. They do not leave residue and are easy to clean.
Use a soapy towel and cool water to clean your beeswax wrap. Avoid hot water. Air dry and reuse!
You can even make your own beeswax wrap at home using a cotton towel and beeswax pellets.
30: Meal plan to avoid food waste and excess packaging
Planning ahead is my best tip for minimizing food waste and excess packaging. Did you know 14.5 million tons of plastic containers and packaging were generated in 2018 (EPA)? This is about 5% of total municipal solid waste generation.
When you write out your meal plan, you have the opportunity to be selective about the food you choose. You can choose items that come in less packaging. In addition, if you live in a bulk store location, this is the perfect opportunity to shop in bulk! Bulk shopping reduces packaging because it allows you the opportunity to reuse containers and fill them up with the items you need without the plastic!
31: Try a zero-waste shop
Zero waste shops are not common where I live. The closest zero waste shop is about 20 miles away and their selection is so small, that it is almost not even worth the drive. If you’re like me and shopping at a zero-waste shop is difficult for you, try an online zero waste shop!