Content and Design by Shafiq Ashraf

If you’re not familiar with Plastic Free July, now is your chance to do so and maybe you’ll benefit from this campaign just like the other millions of people worldwide. 

Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people from all around the world to be part of the solution towards plastic pollution. Over 250 million people from 177 countries have benefited from this campaign and many countries managed to get a view on cleaner streets and oceans. But the question is, are you willing to take the challenge to refuse single-use plastic?

Well here are some useful tips and tricks that might be handy during this Plastic Free July campaign. The first step is to start with the Big Four: plastic bags, water bottles, straws, and coffee cups. If you feel that this is hard, just think of it as a replacement for your daily habits or routines. Plus, using reusable plastic is more cost-efficient as you won’t need to pay for the plastic fees. So, replace your daily plastic usage with reusable items by packing metal straws, reusable bags, reusable water bottles and reusable coffee cups in your backpack. 

The next step is to have a look in your trash can. If you’re wondering why your trash can is filled up very quickly, then check if there are any plastic disposals such as plastic food containers, plastic utensils or even plastic diapers and baby wipes. This happens very often with households that have lots of family members especially if they prefer to take away food than cooking. Therefore, try to practice bringing your own reusable food container, water bottle and reusable utensils to restaurants just in case you want to take away food as it will reduce your contribution towards plastic pollution. Investing in reusable wipes and cloth diapers is also another alternative to reduce the number of plastic in your trash can. 

Last but not least, the best yet most underrated method is to go beyond yourself. The reason for this is that everyone is given an option to share something nice and good to the community but some people choose to keep quiet as they feel that it might not be useful. However, always share what you feel is right to other people such as introducing your friends or family members to reusable bags as you will feel satisfied once you see them fully utilising it. 

So there you have it. You are now equipped with the right information and a basic knowledge on Plastic Free July. It would be great if you can participate and take on this challenge but it would be much better if you practice these habits even after the month of July. Remember, making a small change on your own will collectively make a huge difference to the community.