Join The Movement To Help The Planet: Plastic-Free July 

This summer is the best time to reduce your plastic footprint and better the planet and oceans.

Plastic Oceans states that 380 million tons of plastic are produced yearly, with 50% estimated for single-use purposes. Taking up the challenge of Plastic Free July this year will ensure that you can find alternatives to one-time-use plastic products.

Take The Challenge

Plastic Free July is a challenge from the Plastic Free Foundation that encourages minimizing the use of single-use plastic products. Registering for the challenge will allow tips and tricks to be emailed weekly as a reminder to keep lessening plastic use. Going the whole month limiting your plastic use will bring you into the routine of using zero-waste products more and more. 

Localize The Problem

The best way to limit plastic use is to start in your community. Plastic Free Florida states that an estimated 33 billion pounds of plastic enter the ocean annually. With Florida beaches being a significant hub for tourism in the summer, locals and tourists can take measures to limit their plastic consumption to keep beaches and oceans clean.

Many stores in Central Florida offer zero-waste products. Zero Orlando is a general store and refillery offering refillable, eco-friendly, vegan body care products. While the shop primarily operates online, a location may open in College Park. 

Another store in Central Florida is Oh Eco. The shop has a refillery and products for everything from the kitchen to self-care. Some unique eco-friendly products at the shop are reusable napkins, food wraps, and compostable trash bags. Many grocery stores like The Fresh Market, Sprouts, and Whole Foods offer the opportunity to shop zero waste if you have the budget. 

Quick Ways to Reduce

You can accomplish many quick and easy methods to limit the use of single-use plastic by utilizing items readily available in your home.

1. Make use of packing lunches or storing leftovers in Tupperware or wax paper instead of one-time plastic alternatives. 
2. Reusing old containers as Tupperware instead of tossing them is another practical step. Old glass jars or bottles can also be good for going to refill stations. 
3. Another way to help limit plastic going immediately to landfills is to recycle your products to ensure they get more than one-time use. 

Although shopping entirely eco-friendly and eliminating all plastic use can be challenging, you can take small steps to reduce the amount of usable plastic in your life. Eliminating just one form of plastic use in your life is a significant first step towards going green and putting the planet first.