Go Plastic-free this July with the BRITA Challenge!

The BRITA Plastic-free Challenge

At BRITA, we’re committed to promoting sustainable, eco-friendly practices and lifestyles. That's why we're inviting you to help us celebrate Plastic-free July, this summer!

In nearly all of our daily lives we will use something that is made from single-use plastic, whether that is shopping bags, take-away coffee cups, toothbrushes and even some tea bags. The list is almost endless.

The issue is that single use plastic items, many of which are only used for a few minutes before being thrown away, can last a lifetime in landfill sites, in river, or oceans, polluting the environment and endangering wildlife. For example, an everyday single-use plastic water bottle takes, on average, 450 years to biodegrade. That’s why we should all do as much as we can to reduce, reuse and recycle.

So, how can we reduce the amount of single use plastics we use and try go plastic-free for July?

To start with...

...We can try to see how long we can go through the day without touching anything that is single-use plastic. This might be a good way to identify the areas in we you can easily cut down on our plastic usage.

If you’ve tried that exercise and are still unsure about how you can cut down, don’t worry. We’ve compiled a list of some of our favourite top tips from our Greening Good guide to help all of is reduce the amount of single use plastic we use and bring more reusable items into our daily routines.

Refillable Mason Jars - Zero Plastic Waste

Break that single-use plastic habit

Most UK households throw away at least 40kg of plastic each year, enough to make 10 recycling bins. From bottled water to packaged fruit and veg, we can all do our part to help fix this. A BRITA water filter jug for the home will turn your tap water into great tasting freshly filtered water, meaning you’ll never have to buy bottled water again.

Beyond that, there are over 220 shops that offer dry–food refills in the UK, according to Beeco, meaning you can take your own containers when you go shopping to cut down on all that packaging. These ‘bulk food’ stores also offer alternatives to cleaning products, toiletries and a full range of plastic free products for the kitchen and home.

zero-waste-eating-produce-healthy-food-the-sunday

Remember your reusable shopping bag

37 percent of Brits feel guilty about not remembering a reusable bag when they head to the shops – but we’ve all done it. It’s disheartening to think that a whopping 160,000 bags are used every second, so it’s on all of us to remember to use our nifty reusable bags.

The best bet is to make a special bag hook right by the front door, ensuring they stay in your eyeline as you head out. Alternatively, buy a bag that will fold up neatly into your pocket or use a net bag that can be bundled up but still hold loads of food and other essentials.

Baggu makes great, design–savvy bags that can hold a hefty 50lb of shopping.

Switch to a collapsible coffee cup

Brits bin an astonishing 2.5 billion non–reusable coffee cups every year. That’s the equivalent of four times the weight of the Eiffel Tower. And what’s more, 24 percent of us feel guilty about it.

Collapsible coffee cups, such as the Stojo On–The–Go, fit easily into a bag or coat pocket. Leave it there and you can even ask your barista to give it a rinse before they make your morning latte or set a daily alarm to remember it before you leave the house.

Don’t fret, non–reusable coffee cups are great for gardeners - they’re ideal for nurturing seeds in spring.

End that bottled water habit

Bottled water, whether grabbed on-the-go or bought in bulk to satisfy the urge for sparkling rather than still, is a waste we can ill afford. Those who drink two litres of bottled water per day can reduce their CO₂ emissions by 134.7kg of CO₂ each year and save a massive 15kg of plastic a year simply by switching to a BRITA jug and drinking filtered water from the tap.

Considering it takes 17 litres of water to produce 1kg of the plastic used for single-use water bottles, that’s also a saving of 255 litres of wasted water a year.

To ensure you never forget to leave the house without a reusable bottle, simply keep it by the front door or in your hand bag. If you do need to buy a single-use bottle, keep it and use it for crafts with the kids - they make great windmills, or musical shakers when filled with pasta or rice.

Small Blog 3 - The Feel Good Filter -Jug in Fridge

Talk about how you’re trying to go plastic-free with your friends and family

One of the most impactful things you can do this July is speak to your friends and family about what you’re doing to reduce the amount of plastic you use.

Sharing your experiences might encourage them to think about their own plastic usage, and you might even get some helpful tips or points for yourself in return.

We hope our suggestions will be help during Plastic-Free July and beyond.

The most important thing to remember is that whatever you decide to do, small changes to our daily habits and routines do add up to make a big difference!

What is Plastic Free July?

Started in 2011 by the Plastic Free Foundation, Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities.

Looking for more ways to get involved?

Whether you’re a beginner looking for a few single-use plastics to avoid, or someone well on their way to a plastic free life, the Plastic Free Foundation have more ideas to inspire you at home, work, school, and within the community. Check out their resources to learn more.

Learn more