Each July, millions of people across the globe unite under one powerful mission—to reduce single-use plastic and live more consciously. This global campaign, known as Plastic Free July, isn’t about perfection. It’s about awareness, action, and small steps that lead to real change.
What is Plastic Free July?
According to Waste Free Planet, Plastic Free July is a global movement founded by the Plastic Free Foundation in 2011. It started as a local initiative in Western Australia and has now inspired over 100 million participants in 190+ countries.
The mission? To encourage individuals, families, businesses, and communities to decrease single-use plastic waste and become part of the solution for plastic pollution.
The challenge? Avoid single-use plastic for the month of July—and ideally beyond. It’s not about going zero-waste overnight. It’s about finding smarter, sustainable alternatives that work for you.
Some everyday swaps include:
✔️ Saying no to plastic bags and straws
✔️ Choosing reusable containers and water bottles
✔️ Replacing bottled products with plastic-free options (like solid shampoo bars!)
✔️ Shopping from brands that prioritize sustainability
Why It Matters
The statistics are alarming:
- Over 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally each year
- Around 50% is single-use—used once and then discarded
- Less than 10% gets recycled
Most of it ends up in landfills, oceans, and even the air we breathe. It contributes to climate change, harms wildlife, and contaminates ecosystems.
Plastic Free July is a call to action—not for perfection, but for progress. It’s about doing what you can, where you are, with the choices you make daily.
How We Can Help
Individual choices count, but group action is where the magic is at. One of the greatest things we can do to help the plastic-free revolution is pick local businesses who have low-waste strategies and plastic-free packaging at their core.
Here's why it counts:
✅ Local creators tend to use less packaging—and more eco-friendly materials
✅ Small businesses are out in front when it comes to refillable and plastic-free solutions
✅ Buying local cuts down on shipping emissions and keeps money in your community
✅ Your shopping supports these companies to expand—and encourage others to do the same
Making conscious choices, choosing plastic-free packaging or supporting local businesses might seem small on their own, but they create a ripple effect. Take /liv/ Nature, for instance—a Florida-based personal care company on a mission to reduce plastic waste without compromising product quality. /liv/ Nature offers solid shampoo and conditioner bars—no plastic bottles, no synthetic ingredients, just clean, natural hair care in compostable packaging.
Every swap, every conversation, and every purchase sends a message: we care about the planet and we’re ready to do things differently.
So, how can you take that first step?
Join the Movement
Want to become a part of the movement? Here are some ways to begin:
Visit local farmers markets
Look for plastic-free options in your everyday essentials.
Share your favorite finds and swaps with your friends and community
Use your voice—even a simple post can inspire someone else to make a change
Plastic Free July is not about being perfect—it's about doing something, and helping others to do the same. By choosing to shop at local stores who care about minimizing plastic use, we are creating a better system—one where being sustainable isn't the norm, but the standard.
All together, our individual small daily decisions—such as a bottle of wine from a bottle shop, or local shopping rather than online—can make a big difference collectively.
Make this July a beginning. For less waste. For mindful choices. And for a better future for all.
