Plastic Free July isn't a new movement. But it's helpful in terms of shining a light on the amount of plastic purchased, particularly single-use plastic. This June the New Zealand Government announced it would be rolling out a ban on single-use and hard to recycle plastics! Including pvc meat trays, drink stirrers, cotton buds, single-use produce bags, cutlery, plates and bowls, straws and fruit labels. The plan is underway and is expected to be fully rolled out by 2025.

Plastic doesn’t break down. Plastic breaks up. Saltwater and sunshine break plastic into tiny pieces that move through our oceans by the currents. There is now 5.25 trillion macro and micro pieces of plastic in our ocean and 46,000 pieces in every square mile of ocean, weighing up to 269,000 tonnes! This plastic is not only polluting our oceans, it’s being consumed by seabirds, turtles, fish. . . There are 700 species of marine animals that are now in danger of extinction due to plastic.

No need to go through your house and ditch every piece of plastic in sight, by all means, keep them -  and reuse them! But by simply making more conscious decisions when we go shopping we aren't adding to the huge amount of plastic that ends up in the landfills and our oceans.

Keen to reduce your plastic intake? Here are a few ideas to get you started...

• When buying a product new opt for products that are made from glass, wood, paper or stainless steel over plastic if possible.   

• Remember to take your own reusable grocery bags/baskets with you when you go out. 

• Shopping in bulk stores and at your local farmers’ market is a great way to get what you need without any (or minimal) packaging.

• Switch out the single-use plastic wrap for beeswax wraps.

• Use a keep cup for takeaway coffee.

• Refill your drink bottle at home and take it with you when you’re out and about. 

• Make your next toothbrush a bamboo one. 

• Ditch those plastic-wrapped, single-use tampons and pads and invest in a menstrual cup and/or period absorbent underwear.

Making these sustainable choices definitely requires some preparation, but the health of Papatūānuku, our earth mother, and our children's future is so worth that extra planning before you leave the house.  This isn't about being 'perfect' just a gentle reminder of how powerful you are as a consumer. Because together these small changes can make a world of difference. 

Remember. . .

“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly”.

- Anne-Marie Bonneau (The Zero-Waste Chef).

Learn which healthy habits and foods to include in your diet to build and support your immune system. Naturally Strong is a free E-Book that also includes recipes to help you become healthy and strong, the natural way. For your copy follow the link and sign up for the mailing list.