Plastic Free July - checking in

Hello friends,

I must admit, I think the second blog post is harder than the first! Is this how Pearl Jam felt after the success of Ten? How do you top that? (clearly, they have #pearljamtragic). Look, clearly my second blog post is on a much less grand scale than the example provided, but you catch my drift, right?

Anyway, I’m here, I’m getting my blog on, and I’m a bit thrilled to do so. If you read my last blog post it was in a nutshell, all about me having a crack at doing more of the good stuff, turning up the conscientious human factor. You can read that blog post here. Yeah, I do my fair share but I’m capable of more.

To kick off this good stuff thang I decided to take part in Plastic Free July. There is a plethora of information and challenges out there to encourage one to ditch single use plastic and strive for a plastic-less existence, go see for yourself. I know though, it can get overwhelming and sometimes you just want a little look at what the average Joe (or Josephine?) is doing to see if you might be able to make small changes of your own.

Which brings me to what I’m sharing today. I'll be giving you a little insight into what I already do now and some extra measures I’m implementing throughout July and hopefully beyond. And maybe, just maybe, you’d like to comment below with one thing you do now and one new practice you’re going to try in your own efforts to say no to plastic. Let’s help each other out here!

It is our collective and individual responsibility to preserve and tend to the world in which we live. - Dalai Lama

REDUCE, RECYCLE. WHAT I ALREADY DO

· Regular recycling

I’ve setup 3 bins inside, one for general waste, one for yellow bin items (in Australia, this is our council collected recycle bin) and a small bin for soft plastics (all local supermarkets in our area have soft plastic collection facilities now). We’ve tried a few variations of this setup e.g. an open box for recyclable stuffs but we always revert to lidded bins again. Look it’s not aesthetically pleasing but it works, even if I am constantly pulling things out of bins to put them in the correct one,

seriously, it’s not that hard family! And no one said recycling was pretty.

· Reusable shopping bags

A no brainer as far as I’m concerned, and one of the first changes I made many years ago. Look, it’s easy to forget them, but it’s also just as easy to make it a habit to remember, I store mine under the sink and automatically grab them now. Maybe keeping them in the car is a better solution for some? You got this in the bag peeps!

· Refills at my local bulk foods store

I have a bit of an advantage in that I work at a wholefoods/bulk foods store, refilling is easy for me. It does take extra effort as it’s an added store to stop in at, and yep, you gotta remember to pack those jars and containers. Perhaps stocking up with larger quantities to make it a fortnightly or monthly task may not seem as daunting.

love me a refill when they look this cute!

· Keep cups

I’m not a coffee drinker, gasp! How un-Australian! I’ve taken to keeping a keep cup (say that 10 times quickly) in my Dorothy-Wizard of Oz-esque basket or my crochet shopping bags, which ever I’m toting about on the day. That way, if I’m on the move and feel like a cuppa or chai I’m good to go. I have been caught out one to many times without my keep cup and I really despise those nasty disposable ones. Even the so called ‘biodegradable’ cups have parts that are SO not, beware!

Pretty + handy wax wraps

· Wax wraps

This speaks for itself and is such an easy one to implement. I’ve bought, been gifted and plan to make some for myself, wax wraps of varying sizes. I use them all the time. I love finding wraps in cool vintage fabrics and if you look after them well, they last an exceptionally long time.

You can see these are not ground-breaking changes, I’m not re-inventing the wheel. Just doing what I know I can.

DURING JULY AND BEYOND

· Switching up cleaning implements

I’ve been using wash cloths that I wash and reuse for years, however I’m now not sure they break down once thrown away? I’m trialing biodegradable cloths this month as an alternative. My only concern is how well they will wash up and whether I can reuse them? If not, then it becomes an ongoing cost to buy more. I’ve also switched to a biodegradable scrub pad made from coconut fibres.

all purchased through flora & fauna

· Natural fibre body care items

I invested in some washable makeup/face wipes, they’re super soft and can be easily washed and rinsed in the shower. I also bought a bamboo toothbrush. I had made this switch previously but whilst on holidays in May, got desperate when my toothbrush was so haggard, I’m sure it was doing more harm than good! Waiting until the current plastic one is ready for ditching, then it’s on to the biodegradable alternative. I just need to convince the rest of the family who don’t like the texture of the bamboo ones in their mouths, bit precious aren’t they? I also purchased eco-friendly cotton buds; it hadn’t occurred to me the stick part between the ‘buds’ was plastic!! Sneaky…very sneaky.

· Plastic free period

I had my periods right at the beginning of the month so exploring plastic free period options is still on my radar. I’ve tried a menstrual cup without the best success. I am however open to trying this again as it may have been a brand thing. I’m also looking into period underwear and washable pads. I use TOM tampons and liners for backup at present.

· Laundry liquid

I am currently using up the liquid I have, it’s a fantastic plant-based detergent but I squirm every time I buy another plastic bottle of the stuff. I recently stumbled across an Australian brand that is not only an eco-friendly option, but the packaging is biodegradable, and you can get refills too. Yes, I can get laundry powder in bulk at my workplace, however, powder does not work well with my water which is straight out of our spring-fed creek, it just doesn’t dissolve well. Keep you posted on that one!

So that’s a wrap on my Plastic Free July efforts thus far. Again, I’m no saint and I am certainly not completely plastic free, unfortunately I may never be. Are you taking part in the challenge? I’d love to hear how you’re going. Drop me line or a comment below.

Peace out homies,

x Kara