Recology: Plastic free July

From Recology

Plastic Free July is a powerful campaign that focuses on the small changes we can make on an individual level to avoid single-use plastics. 

Plastic Free July offers a timely reminder that we need to focus as much on reducing our plastic consumption as we do on recycling.

We’re celebrating Plastic Free July by offering tips throughout the month to help you reduce the single-use plastic in your life. 

We invite you to participate in any way you can. 

Take the challenge to eliminate single-use plastics entirely, make just one swap, or simply take stock of your plastic habits and learn about easy ways you can help reduce plastic waste.

Follow Recology on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter to access all of our tips during the month of July and get started with these five:

1. Find a water bottle you love

Globally we use 500 billion plastic water bottles a year!

2. Dine in and order less at restaurants

According to the EPA, food and packaging/containers together account for almost 45% of the materials landfilled in the United States! If you eat out often, you can make a big dent in your waste footprint simply by avoiding takeout containers.

3. Shop in bulk

Lots of the items you already buy in packages are available package-free in the bulk section of your grocery store. Estimates indicate that if Americans bought just almonds in bulk that would save 72 million pounds of packaging waste in one year!

4. Switch to bar soap and shampoo

Single-use plastics are extremely common in bathrooms. Start with simple swaps like replacing bottled soap and shampoo with good old bars!

5. Get your ice cream in a cone!

Every little bit helps! Skip the cup and the little plastic spoon. Even if you don’t like the cone, it’s compostable.