Plastic-Free July 2023!

July 3, 2023

It's Plastic Free July again!

Possibly one of my favourite times of the year, because Plastic Free July give me and all the other eco-holics out there an excuse to get extra loud about the detriment of single-use plastics.

Need a refresher?

Plastic Free July^® is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution by committing to going plastic free for the month of July. Although you can sign up on their website (https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/) you are really only making a commitment to yourself to be mindful of how much plastic you use on a daily basis, and to consider alternative options.

Why it's important

It's really easy to 'choose to refuse' single-use plastic, and by keeping your commitment top-of-mind for the month, you will also be building some great new habits to carry with you for the entire year. Using less plastic means cleaner streets and neighbourhoods, cleaner oceans and forests, and an overall healthier community.

Couple picking up trash with a caption reading "The person who says it cannot be done, should not interrupt the person doing it."

There's no shortage of ideas on how to go plastic free (in fact, Eco Shark is full of ideas!) and you don't need to overhaul your entire lifestyle to participate. One of the biggest impacts that Plastic Free July has is to highlight just how much plastic we use and how unnecessary it is.

What's new this year (in Canada, at least)

This year is the first time we'll be celebrating Plastic Free July with the Canadian single-use plastic ban. I'm sure you remember plastic bags from the grocery store, plastic cutlery from fast-food restaurants, plastic stir sticks for your coffee, and all the unnecessary straws for your drinks...but as of December 20, 2022, they've all been given the boot in Canada. A late comer joined the party on June 20, 2023, when we showed the door to 6-pack plastic beverage rings.

Produce wrapped in plastic

This was a loooooong time coming (too long, honestly) to take care of the lowest hanging fruit. Sure, we've chucked some of the worst offenders, but there's a whole lot more we can -and must- do.

Tell it to somebody who cares

That's to say, our local representatives.

Never underestimate the influence of your voice and how every one of us has the powerful to help shape our future. July is the perfect time to voice your concerns about single-use plastics and how Canada's ban can continue to expand, like including bottled water for example.

If you're not sure where to start, consider ChatGPT. Using ChatGPT to draft a letter to your Member of Parliament (MP) is a great way to start formulating your concerns, and you can then rewrite the letter in you own voice and double check the content to make sure it's all factual.

A laptop with an email and contact super imposed above the keyboard