Summer is Short, Plastic is Forever
Plastic-Free July is a global movement that was started as a way to encourage people to be part of the plastic pollution solution. By refusing single-use plastics during the month of July, many will realize that this small new habit will stick long-term.
At KOOSHOO we know about small changes that make big impacts (that’s kind of our thing). So we are totally on board with this, and invite you to join us! Can you live without plastic?
The Plastic-Free Challenge - You're Ready for This!
Commit to reducing single-use plastics for a month. Choose to refuse them when offered, and work toward finding great alternatives while building new habits. Once you realize how easy some of the swaps are, you’ll never go back. A plastic-free future can exist.
Some of the plastics we use daily are easily swapped out for better (more sustainable) options. It takes a little bit of thought and preparation, but once you get there, you keep it up.
Here are a few examples of common single use plastics that you should choose to refuse:
Coffee cups:
Time to wake up to the fact that coffee cups are not recyclable. Between the plastic liner that makes them waterproof (yup!) and those ubiquitous plastic lids, this daily ritual creates more waste than we realize. Even the so-called “biodegradable” cups are rarely composted, as they require specific facilities and conditions.
This one is a no-brainer. A reusable stainless steel cup keeps your coffee warm way longer, creates no waste and there’s no chance of chemicals from hot plastic seeping into your drink. Better yet, do what the Europeans do, sit in the café and enjoy your coffee in a mug.
Plastic straws:
You might even have a head start. Many companies have already made the switch. Whether bamboo, paper, glass or stainless steel, straws are an easy thing to swap out - and a pretty easy thing to slip into your bag. Same goes for cutlery. Plastic knives are as dull as they are harmful to the planet. Having your own little portable cutlery set is forking amazing.
Selfcare products:
Those giant plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles are mostly water. Plastic toothbrushes need to be replaced on a regular basis, and tubes of toothpaste are mostly waste. Disposable razors shave time off the planet’s lifespan, and are expensive and wasteful. Lipstick in plastic containers are more miss than kiss for our planet. Traditional hair accessories are made of plastic and designed to be disposable.
Lucky for us, there are plastic-free alternatives for all of these things and they’re getting easier to find. The grass is greener with bamboo toothbrushes, plastic-free toothpaste (shout out to our friends at Nelson Naturals), paper-wrapped make-up (see Ericka and her brand Axiology), reusable razors are on the cutting edge, and KOOSHOO Flat and Round Hair Ties are plant-based, biodegradable and always in style.
Groceries:
Make grocery shopping more about taste than waste. Bring your own containers for anything in bulk, from nuts to grains to fish - the staff behind the deli and meat counters will happily package your purchases in them for you. Invest in a few cloth bags for produce - and remember, some produce doesn’t need a bag at all - peppers, apples, broccoli, bananas are all great on their own, just give them a good scrub before eating. And carry everything home in reusable fabric or paper bags (which are good for composting too!)
Bonus:
Since it’s July, we can’t forget about ice cream. Cone over cup (and spoon!) every time.
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Plastic-free solutions in place for all of the above? Amazing! Now it’s time to explore some of the products that many of us didn’t realize are also made of plastic. Some of them will surprise you, others seem so obvious, but we haven’t thought about it. So without further ado, here are some sneaky plastics we should all choose to refuse:
Maybe a life without plastic can exist.
