Plastic Free July - Swap Rubbish for Ocean Friendly
Posted by Helen Rupp on
By Hannah Beasley
There is already a huge amount of plastic rubbish floating in the sea, causing a great deal of damage. We can't change what's happened in the past, but we can change our actions for the future. In Plastic Free July, which items are you going to swap for a reusable or biodegradable alternative?
The ocean covers 72 % of the planet and is home to 97% of life on Earth. It drives and moderates our climate and weather and is ultimately the source of the water we drink. But every year we are responsible for more than 7 million tonnes of plastic rubbish making its way into the sea. With 80% of this rubbish coming from the land it is time for us to make some smarter choices so the planet is preserved for future generations.
Recent reports of the waste washing up on Henderson Island were shocking. Despite being an uninhabited island and part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, the island had the highest density of plastic rubbish anywhere in the world. Of the 15 most common items appearing on their beaches, 10 were plastic. Luckily, we can easily replace these items in our own homes with environmentally friendly alternatives that don’t cost the earth!
| RUBBISH | OCEAN FRIENDLY |
| Plastic Bottle | Reusable bottle |
| Plastic Bag | Basket / cloth bag / cardboard box / reusable produce bags |
| Lollipop stick | Buy from the bulk bins / lollies without sticks or with paper sticks |
| Pen Lid | Pencils / lidless pens (try My Mojo) |
| Drinking Straw | Paper straws / stainless steel straws |
| Plastic Razor | Stainless steel razors (try Mancave) |
| Cigarette Lighter | Matches / Zippo style refillable lighter |
| Caps & Lids | Reusable bottle |
| Toothbrush | Bamboo toothbrush |
| Plastic Cutlery |
Wooden / bamboo or reusable cutlery |
So, with plastic bags taking between 100-400 years to breakdown and plastic bottles taking up to 450, the choice to make a change seems simple. Take a look at The Rubbish Whisperer’s products page for paper straws, stainless steel straws, reusable produce bags and lunch pockets - feel good about the future you are creating from this July forwards.
