Plastic-free July should really be plastic free all year. Every day, as a society, we should be focused on bringing more sustainable options to the forefront of our consumerism. But plastic free anything is a start.
This year, what I really want to stress that plastic free doesn't mean 'let me go out and buy all new things that don't contain plastic to replace all the things I already own'. Instead, let's have the conversation pivot towards 'what can I do to simplify and maybe make a few changes throughout the year that make sense to me?' While consciously knowing that all those small changes everyone is making can and eventually will be combined (like Captain Planet) to make a bigger impact.
What exactly does all this mean
Well, for me, it means making choices that make sense for me and my family. Not everyone has celebrity-style financial backing, and it's totally OK to set realistic goals when approaching a more sustainable lifestyle.
You see, in a perfect world, we wouldn't even have to make a choice. All zero waste options would be provided to us by large corporations. We would all be running on green fuel options and renewable energy, gardening in communities, and saving all the bees. But that's not the reality we live in today.
As a capitalist society, we have choices based on preferences and affordability. And your economic standpoint has a major effect on what anyone can and can not buy.
So let's think about it
If you're thinking about sustainable options this July, start with the absolutely free things you can do first. Like borrowing clothing for special events or walking to the store. Other things you can do are host a clothing swap with friends, enjoy free things like a trip to the library, or give a handmade gift instead.
If you're ready to take the next step, you can start small by carrying your own water bottle, bringing reusable shopping bags, shopping secondhand or thrifted, and even mending or fixing things instead of replacing them.
Plastic-free all year
I know it's really unrealistic to think we can just all be plastic free overnight. I don't actually hate plastic; it's a very useful tool; it's just gotten to a point where it's overused in everything. Kind of like too much of a good thing.
But when creating change, we have to start somewhere, so don't let the intimidation of going plastic-free prevent you from doing one or two things that help make a difference. Because if we all stepped up to the plate and made just one small change, we could see a big difference in the Earth's future, for the good of all of us.