Unless you have been living off grid you must have been hearing all the very real concerns about the amount of plastic waste in our oceans and the impact this is having on wildlife and the food chain. If you eat fish, you are probably already consuming some of your own body glitter from that party in the 90’s…
The situation has been brewing for many years, but the Blue Planet effect has quickly and effectively brought this issue to the forefront of public life. There are lots of initiatives and talks going on at government levels which is wonderful progress; but can feel very aloof and ‘out there’.
The GREAT news about the plastic problem is that we can all play a huge part from our very own homes – and even in the office. Check out Roberta Lee’s 12-Week Zero Waste Journal for more ideas on what you can do whilst juggling a busy life, at home, travelling and in the office.
Going plastic free
The Plastic Free July movement started in Australia but is now a worldwide effort to make this issue a really hot topic every year. If you take a look on your social media there are lots of great ways you can get involved; here at The Frugal Family, we have teamed up with Less-Stuff to create a FREE e-course with a daily worksheet of an easy, practical idea you can do at home. We really want to inspire and inform people of small changes we can all make to reduce our single use plastic and become more conscious of avoid it where possible.
At Frugal HQ the amount of plastic is quite overwhelming, with four kids and a dog as well as a larger than average food shop it felt as if we were drowning in it, however rather than allow that feeling of fear overtake us, we’ve worked on these sustainable ideas and slowly made changes that are going to have a positive long-term impact – not just on the planet but on our pocket too!
FREE e-Course
The free e-course starts on the 1st July with a plastic audit and starting your very own eco-brick – then the daily emails continue with a range of creative, sharing, saving and thoughtful or fun ideas to help us focus and reflect on our plastic use and small changes we can make in our everyday lives.
You can join us by signing up here
Sometimes you just need an issue to be brought to your attention to see the solutions all around you, for example here in the Ethical Brand Directory is the awesome Anything But Plastic offering great everyday items in recyclable packaging and often from recycled sources. There are alternatives for pretty much everything, and if you really love glitter, you can also get a biodegradable version from EcoStardust (also here at EBD).
Plastic Free July tips
The focus for 2018 is to try and reduce the amount of plastic that comes into your life, some ideas would include:
- Refusing a plastic straw if you don’t need one
- Taking your own bags shopping
- Using a reusable flask or bottle instead of single use bottles and cups
- Looking at packaging on items and finding the ‘least worst’ options
- Making one small change – like moving to a bamboo toothbrush
You could commit to a whole year of Going Green by taking part in the Ethical Brand Directory pledge – checkout the Conscious Consumers Club Facebook group to get involved.
Claire Lyons
Frugal Living Blogger for Ethical Brand Directory
Claire is also the creator of Frugal Family Website, a place where families can find ethically frugal ideas and inspiration. Find out more: https://www.thefrugalfamily.co.uk