Plastic-Free July has arrived!
This global movement helps individuals lessen plastic waste by encouraging them to avoid single-use plastic.
There are lots of resources available online on how it can be done, including some information on how to cut down plastic use at home, at work, and even in school.
Are you taking part in it, too? If you are, how has your month been going, so far?
If you think you are not doing things as perfectly as you imagined, worry not as we understand that living a life with less plastic isn’t something that you can achieve overnight.
But of course, despite the challenges, it is still worth trying.
We may not do things perfectly, but what really matters is that we are starting to make a difference. No matter how small, our efforts in lessening our use of useless plastic can still go a long way.
Now here are some things you may want to take note of as you go on with your plastic-free journey.
Take advantage of what you have
One of the many misconceptions about reusables is that they need to be new and look Instagram-worthy, and that’s not true at all.
If you already have reusable cups, food containers, and utensils at home, you may simply make use of them instead of purchasing new stuff from stores.
The goal here is to lessen the waste, so why buy new things if you already have existing ones at home? The same thing goes with eco bag use. If you already have durable eco bags at home, you don’t really need to buy new reusable bags.
Be proud of your small achievements
Remember, the journey toward a life with less plastic is not a race. Of course, it’s great to really avoid using pointless plastic, but that doesn’t mean that small achievements should no longer be celebrated.
Many people who have gone far with their plastic-free journey started with simple steps, like bringing their own eco-bags when grocery shopping, refusing straws and disposable cutlery when buying food and drinks outside or dining out, and taking their water bottles and reusable cups with them when going out to avoid disposables.
You can do these things, too! They may be simple, but they can help condition your mind to minimize plastic use.
Remember that forgetfulness is an enemy
They say habits die hard. To some extent, that’s true.
This is why, if you really want to cut down on plastic use, you need to fight forgetfulness. Of course, we know that sometimes, it’s so easy to forget to bring reusables when going out. This is especially true in the first few weeks of the plastic-free journey.
But it’s also worth noting that you can never make progress if you simply allow yourself to keep making excuses each time you leave your eco bags and other reusables at home and need to resort to using disposables as a result.
At the end of the day, you have to condition yourself, so you can get used to this new lifestyle.
You may fail sometimes, but that does not mean you should quit. Again, what matters is that you’re doing your best.
Rethink your lifestyle
As mentioned earlier, pursuing a life with less plastic is more of a journey one has to be on instead of an overnight thing that would happen miraculously.
This is why, in order to achieve it, you also need to be mindful of what you consume and how you consume things. Continuous introspection can go a long way, indeed.
And as you go on with your journey, you also need to rethink other aspects of your lifestyle.
After conditioning yourself to use reusables when eating out and shopping, perhaps you may also consider plastic-free options for your other needs in life. What if you switch to a menstrual cup for plastic-free periods?
Trying to live a plastic-free life is no joke. The fact that we are living in a country that’s been highly dependent on plastic for so many years alone is more than enough reason why it is never a simple option.
But as we all know, it is one of those sacrifices that are simply worth doing despite not being easy. It’s to lessen plastic pollution in the world, after all.
So, as you continue to lessen plastic in your life, we wish you the best!
