At BRITA, we’re committed to helping people enjoy sustainable, eco-friendly practices and lifestyles. That's why we're inviting you to help us reduce Australia's dependency on single-use plastic.
We all want to do our part to help reduce waste. Sometimes, knowing where to start is half the battle. That’s why we’re delighted to work with Plastic Free July and share tips to help Australian households cut down on plastic pollution and reduce their environmental impact.
So, how can we reduce the amount of non-reusable plastics we use and try to go plastic-free for July?
What is Plastic Free July?
Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people reduce the amount of single-use plastic in their lives, which helps keep that plastic from going into landfill and creating pollution. An initiative from the Plastic Free Foundation, Plastic Free July helps people be part of the solution to plastic waste.
The initiative brings together millions of people from all over the world to address the important environmental issues we all face.
Together, we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and communities by using fewer plastic items. Plastic Free July provides free resources to help you and your school, workplace, or community reduce and find alternatives to single-use items and plastics.
How to Reduce Plastic Use and Waste?
The good news is, it’s easy for anyone to reduce and reuse to contribute to global sustainability. By taking small simple steps you can make a difference. Best of all, by being part of Plastic Free July, you will find great alternatives that can become new habits forever.
You might like to start small by swapping sustainable and reusable coffee cups instead of takeaway cups and packaging. Or you might really challenge yourself and try to avoid all single-use packaging for the entire month. Whichever way you approach Plastic-Free July, it's all about working together for positive environmental change. Whatever you do will make a big impact on our environment. The Plastic Free July website has plenty of helpful tips to inspire and help you and your community make better choices for the environment.
Here are a few examples to start your sustainability journey:
Coffee cups
Choosing reusable coffee cups is one of the most popular ways people substitute in sustainability to avoid waste in landfill. It’s easy to avoid takeaway coffee cups by bringing along your own reusable alternative. Your local café might even
Why it matters
Single-use coffee cups are not recyclable in most recycling locations. Even compostable coffee cups rarely get composted, as most of us don't know if our local recycling plant can recycle them, and we end up just tossing them into the rubbish or landfill bin. They take a large amount of energy to produce and break down, leading to emissions and further impact on the environment.
Reusable coffee cups are an easy, sustainable change you can make, and it might even save you money if your local café offers discounts for people who bring their own cups. Not to mention, you can lead the charge by using one, showing your friends and colleagues just how easy it is to be more eco-friendly and sustainable.
Food storage
Last night’s leftovers make for a great, easy lunch. Most of us will instinctively reach for the cling film to store the food overnight. But introducing reusable food storage options is really easy. You can find reusable containers of all shapes and sizes or (if you still prefer to wrap the food up) you can use a reusable cloth or wax wraps that you simply wash when you're done with them, ready to use again.
The plastics that go into cling wrap and zip lock bags may come from natural resources, but they don't break apart in the natural environment. These plastics contribute to plastic pollution and litter, meaning they can damage ecosystems and even harm animals. Swapping to reusable containers and wraps can prevent this, and they can be an opportunity to show off your personality with patterns and designs to brighten up your lunchtime.
Shopping bags
Many people know that using reusable shopping bags (especially the ones made of recycled materials) can be a great choice when going to the grocery store. But grocery shopping isn't the only shopping we do. New clothes, shoes, accessories, home goods, and more often come in plastic bags. You can easily refuse the offer of a plastic bag at the checkout and use a bag you've brought from home.
Reusable shopping bags are a simple and easy alternative. Rolling a bag up into your pocket or handbag, ready to use when you need, is a great alternative.
Gift giving
Birthdays and holidays are a time for celebration and gifts. It’s easy to consider the environment when choosing to spoil a loved one with a gift. Many people prefer to give experiences as gifts, presenting a card on the day with details of the upcoming experience. If you want to wrap up a gift, you can make a difference by using recycled materials like newspaper for wrapping paper. Or you can use natural, organic materials like hemp or fabric as gift wrapping.
Upcycling
With so many new products available, it can be extremely tempting to buy something new instead of refurbishing an older piece. Whether it's a new piece of furniture or new clothes, it might seem easier to just buy new and throw the old one out. But refurbishing an old piece can not only be great for environmental sustainability, it can also be extremely rewarding. Iron or sew a patch over a hole in a jacket, show an old table some love with a fresh coat of paint, or transform an unloved bookcase into a brand-new doll's house.
By choosing to refuse single-use plastic as much as possible, using reusable items and recycling correctly, we can all help to preserve Australia and the environment for future generations, all with a few small changes that feel and taste good.
