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Of course every month is plastic free for me but plastic free July is a time to make a bit of extra effort, promote projects, look at my bin and join with other people all over the world who are taking this time to rethink their relationship with plastic.

What is Plastic Free July

The aim is to cut your consumption of one use plastic, for one month - July. If that sounds a bit much bear in mind that definitions of one use plastic can vary. And how much you choose to cut is up to you. You can take this opportunity to tackle one item. Maybe get your self a milkman, buy (or make) some produce bags for loose veges or get a refillable water bottle.
You don’t have to do it all at once!

But whatever and how much you choose to do, the plastic you loose is more important than the plastic you use!

A bit of history

Plastic Free July started in 2011. It is an initiative of the Western Metropolitan Regional Council (WMRC) in Perth, Western Australia and was developed by clever Earth Carers staff. In 2012 Plastic Free July expanded across Perth and in 2013 it went global. They have a great website and are all round good eggs.

My Plastic Free July

I cut all disposable plastics and just to remind you, that includes:
tins & cans:
tetrapaks:
glass jars with plastic/ plastic-lined lids:
Plastic lined cardboard:
Teabags:
Don’t know they had plastic in them? You can read all about sneaky plastics here.

Plastic packed personal care and hygiene products. I will as ever be making my own. Sadly the ingredients came plastic wrapped but it can’t be avoided. Read more here.

Any other plastic goods that I can’t think of right now.

Plastic I find myself using but Try not to
Booze. It is almost impossible to find plastic free booze to take out and there is usually at least one social occasion that requires a gift of alcohol. Read about plastic free booze here.
If the morning after visiting said friends painkillers are required then they will be administered. As of course will any other necessary medicines.

Daily Guide

Fantastic plastic free successes are in orange. Hooray.
Big plastic boos are in blue because thats how they make me feel.

Day 1
sample plastic free breakfast
toast- bread from the baker
butter in paper
tea loose leaf
milk from the milkman

Tin of beans. Had my lunch made for me. It involved beans. Tins are of course plastic lined. boo. it was a shared lunch so I’m only counting half a tin.

Day 2

Pickled beetroot!!!

Lunch was potato salad with apple, pickled beetroot and fresh picked mint. Pickled beetroot was not from a jar. Because jars of course have plastic lined lids and I dont do plastic #plasticfreejuly. No I got my pickled beetroot loose from Barnsley market. I have my own tub, she had loose pickled beetroot I came home with two pickled beetroot sans plastic. The dressing was not mayonaise (again jars, lids - same story), but my new countertop yoghurt. This is a different yoghurt culture that is, it is claimed easier to use. I will be trialling it throughout the month. Visit www.plasticisrubbish.com, @plasticSrubbish on twitter or join our facebook plasticisrubbish group for updates.

Day 3

No need for tinned tomatoes. Use fresh in this chicken casserole. didn’t have time to cook them first so chucked them in raw. yes there was a bit of skin but this cook don’t don complaints! Read more about tomatoes here

Day 5

Bottle of wine. the cork was corky but the foil wrap was plastic lined booo.

U.K. Participants

Every year UK based bloggers have joined in.
It’s really important to link up with U.K. based plastivists who will be sharing throughout the month. While some solutions like solid shampoo from Lush can be accessed UK wide, many are local.

You can find a list of bloggers who have contributed here.

Past Years

I am proof that you can do this anywhere no matter the constraints.
2014 I did it while travelling in a van. Here is how I did.
2015 I did it with a backpack check out Plastic free Mongolia
2016 here
2017 On a desert island. read more here

More Resources & Info

Loads of plastic free products here… A to Z of plastic free products

Keeping in Touch

Join in at the Plastic Is Rubbish Support Group where people share plastic free tips. See the link below.
And Twitter @plasticSrubbish

Hashtags
I encourage UK participants to use the hashtag #pfjuk for British related posts. Mainly because it gets very dispiriting to hear of a fantastic bulk food store only to find it is based in Sydney.

N.B.

lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x

And before you go…

If you have found the #plasticfree information useful, please consider supporting us. It all goes to financing the project (read more here) or