Wherever you are right now, look around and identify 3 pieces of plastic.
Easy, right? Every day, we engage in activities that generate plastic waste without even realizing it.
This Plastic Free July, we dare you to stop, spot, and swap out plastic that sneaks into everyday use.
We'll focus on weekly themes and give you mini-challenges to tackle throughout the week. By the end, you’ll know exactly where plastic creeps in and how to kick it out for good!
Let us know how you get on for the chance to receive a $50 gift card!
Share your progress on Instagram and tag @shopearthhero, or via email [email protected], and we’ll pick one random winner per week.
Cold & Hard Like Plastic
The Facts
- 550 million shampoo bottles go to landfill each year in the US alone
- The carbon footprint of liquid soap is about 25% higher than bars
- Take-out containers account for nearly 50 billion pieces of trash in the US every year
- The average American uses 156 plastic bottles every year
- We use enough disposable straws to fill over 46,400 large school buses per year
- 400 million sponges are discarded in landfills yearly- mostly plastic
- 9 million microfibres are released every time we do our laundry
Ready To Make a Change?
Join Our Plastic Free July Challenge
1. Sign Up to Our Emails
We'll send you weekly tips, ideas, and discounts for PFJ.
2. Try Our Weekly Mini Challenges
Whether you check off one action each week or go all-in on one day, start making chances that stick!
3. Let Us Know How You Get On!
Share your progress on Instagram and tag @shopearthhero, or email us at [email protected].
At the end of each week, we'll randomly pick one person to win a $50 gift card!
Weekly Mini Challenges
- Refuse plastic cutlery when ordering take-out
- Carry a water bottle with you everywhere
- Say "no" to plastic straws when you're out
- Reuse and refill old containers
- Keep tote bags in your car (For last-minute trips to the store)
- Bring reusable produce bags to the grocery store
- Store and use up leftovers
- Switch to bamboo dish brushes
- Swap you plastic sponges for biodegradable sponges
- Choose compostable trash bags
- Stock up on hand soap bars
- Try out shampoo and conditioner bars
- Gift a bar & spread the word
- Use a bar for something you've never thought of before...
- Pack your bars in a travel tin
- Opt for natural fabrics such as cotton, linen, or bamboo
- Replace liquid detergent with sheets
- Use a microfiber catcher for synthetic fabrics
- If the weather allows, hang your clothes out on a line
- If not, use reusable dryer balls
4 Weekly Themes
5 Mini Challenges
20+ Ways to Make a Change
Discover Fun and Affordable Activities
Get the Kids Involved Too!
Plastic Hunt
Challenge your kids to find plastic items around the house to showcase how common it is in our lives.
Nature Crafts
Let their imaginations run wild with leaves, sticks, and rocks. If you're not afraid of messy fun, let them whip up mud pies!
Customize Reusable Bags
Turn saving the planet into a fashion statement by decorating reusable cloth bags with fabric markers or paints.
Want to Go Further?
Check Out These Resources
Plastic Free July - It's as easy as this!
Watch This Video
Plastic Free: The Inspiring Story of a Global Environmental Movement and Why It Matters
Read This Book
Plastic Free July Posters
Share These Posters
Practical(ly) Zero Waste
Listen To This Podcast
PFJ Workshops & Talks
Host A Workshop
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