According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), cigarette butts — whose filters contain tiny plastic fibers — are the most common type of plastic waste found in the environment. Food wrappers, plastic bottles, plastic bottle caps, plastic grocery bags, plastic straws, and stirrers are the next most common items. Many of us use these products every day, without even thinking about where they might end up.

Plastic Free July® is a global movement that encourages millions of people to be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and communities. The movement originated in Australia, but it now operates across the globe.

This year, their slogan is Small Steps, Big Difference and they are targeting the biggest three single-use plastic items in the world: single-use plastic cups, plastic drink bottles, and plastic food wrap.

As part of their emphasis on reducing plastic waste, they have a list of ideas and solutions for those just getting started on their journey to avoid pesky plastics. Some easy ideas they share include:

• Bring or borrow a reusable coffee cup or dine-in at your local coffeehouse or café.
• Avoid purchasing fruits and vegetables in plastic containers or bags.
• Use reusable shopping and produce bags at the grocery store.
• Refuse plastic straws, stirrers, and lids.
• Carry your own water bottle and avoid buying plastic bottles.
• Avoid purchasing pre-packaged bread, rolls, and baked goods in plastic.
• Purchase meat, fish, and deli items without plastic trays or containers.
• Always reduce, reuse, and recycle as much plastic as possible. Educate yourself about what is and isn’t recycled in your community.

If you want an individualized look at how you can avoid plastic, try the Pesky Plastics Quiz. It is a helpful way to see how you are doing with plastic consumption and where you can make some changes. It takes less than 5 minutes to answer the questions and get ideas of how to change some of your behaviors and choices.

If you don’t want to take the quiz online, you can print out My Challenge Choices, a PDF that lets you not only decide what challenges you want to try but also see how limiting plastic consumption can avoid landfill waste, protect our oceans, and reduce your eco-footprint. It is also helpful to realize how packaging choices can impact the environment and your wallet. For example, if you drink soda pop, purchasing it in aluminum cans is a “greener” choice since cans are recycled at a higher rate than plastic bottles.

We also encourage you to explore the sustainability resources from Ohio State University Extension. Visit our Family and Consumer Sciences Sustainability website for user-friendly educational resources, videos, a home tour, and a sustainable meeting guide. As you prepare for the new school year, be sure to check out Ten Tips for Packing Waste-Free Lunches.

When Plastic Free July® ends, we encourage you to stay informed and vigilant about ways to avoid pesky plastics throughout the year. Remember, small steps can make a big difference!

Written by: Laura M. Stanton, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Warren County. Email: stanton.60@osu.edu

Reviewed by: Heather Reister, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Butler County.

Photo Credits: Adobe Stock and Plastic Free Foundation.

Cunningham, K. (2020, December 3). Report finds aluminum cans remain most sustainable package. Recycling Today. https://www.recyclingtoday.com/news/aluminum-cans-recycled-twice-plastic-bottles

Plastic Free Foundation. (n.d.). Plastic free July – Be part of the plastic pollution solution. https://www.plasticfreejuly.org

United Nations Environment Program (n.d.). Our planet is choking on plastic. https://www.unep.org/interactives/beat-plastic-pollution

Stanton, L. M. (n.d.). Ten tips for packing waste-free lunches. OSU Extension. https://go.osu.edu/waste-free-lunches

Stanton, L. M. (2022, July 19). It’s time to rethink packaging and recycling. Live Healthy Live Well. OSU Extension. https://livehealthyosu.com/2022/07/19/its-time-to-rethink-packaging-and-recycling