Reflections on a Plastic Free July

From oceans and rivers to city streets and even our bodies, plastic is everywhere.

While we can easily see the devastating effects of plastic on our environment, the impact of microplastics inside our bodies is less visible but equally alarming.

This unsettling reality was one of the reasons that some of our Pandas set their sights on a Plastic Free July.

Plastic Free July is a global movement organised by the Plastic Free Foundation that empowers millions to be part of the solution to plastic pollution. Founded on the principle of ‘choose to refuse’, the campaign transforms the conversation around personal plastic consumption. It’s not just about clean-ups and recycling; it’s about empowering communities to make conscious decisions that reduce plastic waste at the source.

We love the concept – small changes focused on behaviour change that result in long-term impact, and it’s also an easy entry point for climate action.

The campaign is great for raising awareness and got us thinking more consciously about our consumption. However, while we embraced familiar habits: reusable coffee cups, water bottles and tote bags, ensuring a waste-free weekly shop was far more of a challenge.

Our sample of Panda participants was limited to London this time, to see how the capital fared. London has an abundance of refills and plastic free shops, and yet, the overriding view was that it was time-consuming and required a high level of planning. In instances where planning is harder, like while travelling or spontaneously snacking, it’s really hard to avoid plastic. We felt that this lifestyle also comes with a higher price tag.

While individual efforts should be applauded, the zero-waste lifestyle is not accessible in a society that isn’t built this way. We need systemic change to make a plastic-free future a reality.

There is some optimism with the new UK government showing signs of putting plastic back on the agenda. However, the longer we rely on single-use plastics, the greater the risk to global health. We need a global movement to advocate for new policies and investment in expediting research so we can bring down the barriers to entry.

If you’ve got ideas or would like to work with us on a plastic free policy campaign, get in touch at info@skatingpanda.com.

We’d love to work with you to drive the systemic change needed to protect our planet and our health!