Plastic Free July – Part Three

Tips for becoming plastic free (or near to it)

You don’t have to become an expert in zero-waste overnight, but it’s helpful to know where to begin. As the saying goes “we don’t need a handful of people doing zero-waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” (Anne Marie Bonneau)

Follow these helpful hints to start your journey on becoming plastic free:

1. Everyone remembers the three R’s – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. What you might not realise is that they actually contain a simple instruction for the hierarchy of waste. First, you should always look at ways to reduce your use of plastic. Are there simple alternatives that you could be using? Try investing in reusable coffee cups and straws, keep a set of cutlery in your bag for spontaneous outings, and if you know you’ll likely want to take leftovers home from the restaurant, bring your own container.
   
   
2. Next comes reuse. What can be made with or upcycled from the plastic we already own? That’s right, we do own all the packaging before we throw it out so why not make the most out of our purchases. For some simply DIY upcycling tricks, check out Good Housekeeping.
   
   
3. While recycling is the third and final option, it’s still a good one to keep in mind. Recycling keeps materials circulating in our economy, requiring less extraction of the Earth’s precious resources. Know what is and isn’t kerbside recyclable in your area, check out our free recycling programs for anything else, and try not to purchase anything that isn’t at least recyclable.
   
   

If you have any other zero-waste starter tips, let us know in the comments below!