Plastic Free July is already well under way!

This initiative, aiming to encourage the reduced use of plastics, started in Australia in 2011 and has now spread across 150 countries.

Here are some tips about how to avoid plastics, plus a guide to some super stylish and ethical products that replace plastic everyday and long term. Click on the links and images below to see the products in the Chalk & Moss shop. I’ve put together a selection of products perfect for Plastic Free Living; see it here.

Zero Waste YouTuber/Blogger Kate Arnell recently gave The Organic Company’s food produce bags a whirl. She used them for shopping (avoiding plastic bags for pasta, nuts, veg etc), plus for snacks on the go. She gave them a big thumbs up! Chalk & Moss is one of the only U.K. stockists, so get your order in quick here while stocks last!

The above images are by Kate Arnell, from her gorgeous instagram account @kate_arnell.

What can I do to reduce plastic for Plastic Free July and beyond?

Here are some top tips on getting plastic out of your life (images with links of products below):

Bring a container or reusable bag to the supermarket to fill. Supermarkets can be tricky – you really have to seek out the fruit and veg that’s not sealed in pointless plastic. See if there’s a bulk buy supermarket where it’s easy to come with your own container, health food shops often have nuts etc in large self-serve containers. Bring your old shampoo and detergent bottles to a shop that does refills. The Organic Company’s food produce bag from Chalk & Moss (seen above) is a great solution for snacks, shopping and storing your food in the fridge and cupboards. They come in three sizes and a choice of green or white. Bring your own shopping bags to the supermarket. For example, The Organic Company’s beautiful sturdy cotton canvas bags, available here on chalkandmoss.com. If you buy cereal boxes, re-use the bags inside as sandwich bags for packed lunches. It’s amazing how far they’ll go! (That plastic clearly ain’t degrading any time soon…). Even most ethical cereals have bags inside. Cover leftovers in the fridge with a plate on top of a bowl. I’m also a huge fan of beeswax wraps. I’m considering adding these to the Chalk & Moss shop (and making my own), so I’d love a show of hands if your vote is a YES! Wrap bread in a tea towel (you can bring this to the shops too). If you shop with an organic veg box scheme (e.g. Abel & Cole, Riverford), they keep plastic to a minimum and encourage returning of their packing material for re-use. Freeze food wrapped in baking paper. Choose glass instead of plastic containers. Make your own natural cleaning products. There are some great tips on www.plasticfreejuly.org. When my kids were little, I used to make baby wipes by mixing Dr. Bronner’s castile soap, gentle antibacterial essential oils (lavender and tea tree oil) and filtered water. I made a kit with a little spray bottle and eco-friendly disposable and re-usable cotton cloths as wipes. My friends requested them too! I’ve recently been asked if I’d make this kit to sell in the shop. So again, a show of hands if this is of interest please! And do send this to your friends with little ones too. Avoid nasty, sweaty, smelly plastic lunch boxes! Instead opt for this breathable organic cotton canvas lunch bag by The Organic Company. You can pop a cool block in there. Carry your own water bottle – BPA free plastic, glass or, even better, copper. A copper bottle is not only environmentally friendly, it even ion charges the water for you, adding antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties! Copper bottles by Yogibeings have just landed in the Chalk & Moss shop, in honour of #plasticfreejuly.

As you can see, it’s not all that hard to significantly cut the amount of plastic you use.

Plastic Free Living on Chalk & Moss

Below are some useful plastic free products from the Chalk & Moss shop to help you with Plastic Free July – and beyond! Let’s make July 2018 the month that starts a long-term trend, a change in attitude and habits.

You can see all products by The Organic Company on Chalk & Moss here and Yogibeing’s copper bottles here.

All the products in the selection below are under the tag “Plastic Free” here.

I’d love to hear your ideas for how to replace single plastic use Plastic Free July!

Enjoy the sunshine and your plastic-free living!

Anna x