Jul 02, 2021

Plastic Free July

Mission is to help people shift their consumption habits when it comes to single-use plastic.

Have you heard about Plastic Free July? This worldwide awareness campaign was first launched in 2011 in Australia. Its mission is to help people shift their consumption habits when it comes to single-use plastic. To this day, Plastic Free July has inspired approximately 326 million people, located in over 177 countries^[1]. What are the real environmental impacts of single-use plastic? Would you like to be part of the initiative but do not know where to start?

The Harmful Environmental Impacts of Plastic^[2]

The list of harmful environmental — and even to human health — impacts of plastic is extensive. First, single-use plastic reduces the ocean’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) and its storage in the deep ocean. Plastic microparticles in the water can affect the photosynthetic process carried out by phytoplankton. Consequently, since photosynthesis is disrupted, the CO₂ storage in the ocean floor is compromised. Furthermore, single-use plastics contribute to greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions during the various stages of fossil fuel handling (such as extraction, transportation, and refining), which are highly hazardous for the environment.

Phytoplankton is not only used in the photosynthesis process. It is also the base of the food chain for many marine animals. Consequently, since phytoplankton is being affected by plastics, it becomes the first of many harmful constituents to all marine wildlife. Plastic found whole in the oceans also perturbs marine ecosystems and animals. Due to plastic, many animals are injured, get sick, have reproductive problems, etc. The Internet is overflowing with images of various marine and aquatic animals trapped by plastic — fish, turtles, ducks, whales, etc. Moreover, since fish is the food base for other living creatures, including humans, it is easy to deduce that plastic’s harmful effects are more significant than we might sometimes imagine.

How to reduce single-use plastic use?

Reducing single-use plastic items in our everyday lives is more accessible than one might think. Here are some examples^[3,4] :

Replace plastic bags with reusable ones. Keep a few in your car or by your front door so that they are always conveniently available.
Replace your plastic water bottle with a reusable one. This is truly the perfect way to quench your thirst, and since it is now forbidden to drink directly from a public water fountain (due to the COVID), a reusable bottle is a must! Enjoy your water cold? Get a thermal bottle.
Instead of buying your cleaning or grocery products in small formats, purchase refills for cleaning products and “family size” packaging for food products:

Refills are available for many cleaning products: laundry, dish, and hand soaps. Make your own environmentally friendly cleaning products and pour them into old product bottles! You will then have a double impact.
For products sold in small formats, some of these products’ containers are not recyclable, whereas the packaging of “family size” products is. Ensure that the entire product will be consumed to avoid food waste

During family gatherings, replace all your plastic accessories (straws, glasses, plates, utensils…) with washable and reusable ones. Sure, you will have more dishes to wash, but what a great way to avoid finding these plastics in nature. As for napkins? Use the more chic fabric version.

reusable cup

Environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic products

To help you reduce the amount of single-use plastic waste in your home, work, school, or shopping mall, here are some suggestions for environmentally friendly, 100% natural, and biodegradable products that can easily replace this material:

For the kitchen:
- Replace your plastic utensils with ones made of bamboo. With their handy carrying pouch, they are also perfect for the office or on the go.
- Replace your plastic cooking utensils with ones made of bamboo. Our set includes a large spoon, a paddle, a spaghetti spoon, and tongs.
- Replace your plastic straws with ones made of bamboo. We offer two sizes: the smoothie size and the regular size;
- For Asian food lovers, replace your plastic chopsticks with ones made of bamboo. You can also bring them with you to the restaurant!
For the bathroom:
- Replace standard regular toothbrushes with ones made of bamboo. These are even available for your pets!
- Replace your regular floss with a soie dentaire végan, vegan, mint-flavored alternative
For the home (cleaning, soaps, etc.):
- Our online store offers many household products. Here are some of our favorites:
  - Replace your chemical cleaners with natural cleaning tablets. Add water and voilà.
  - Replace your bottled hand soap with sheet hand soap. All it takes is a little water to get your hands as clean as a feather.
  - Replace single-use paper towels (and their packaging) with essuie-tout reusable and compostable towels, available in various colors.
For the powder room:
- Replace your regular fabric softener sheets or liquid softener with dryer balls. They reduce drying time by 25% and last for over 500 dryings.
- Replace your laundry detergent with our plastic-free sheet detergent, Nothing more than a cardboard envelope will be sent for recycling once the container is empty.

Moreover, do not forget that refills are available for several of our products!

By replacing your single-use plastic products with one of the proposed alternatives, you will do one small deed that, collectively, will make a tremendous difference for the environment. You will soon realize that it is effortless to be single-use plastic-free!

brosses à dents en bambou