Where to NYXT: Plastic Free July

 

In Where to NYXT, we suggest places and activities that you can engage and make a difference with. In this edition, we thought that the place could be wherever you are and the activity could be use less plastic! There are several weeks left in July and there’s still time to join the Plastic Free July movement that invites people around the globe to think twice before using disposable plastic. Either with small changes or with radical changes in your habits, Plastic Free July is a call to stop using single-use-plastic during July, and hopefully retaining the habit for the rest of your life. July is just the start!


 

So what can you do to join this cause?

 

1) Watch Greenpeace’s, Earth Day Network’s and Wildlife Conservation Society’s videos and do your own research to understand why environmental issues are so important.

    


2) Make a list of what you consume.  

Could you make a list of all the single-use-plastic you consumed and disposed of during the weekend? Thinking about it can help you be more conscious of your habits. Just to give you some examples, here are some items that a typical thirty-year-old New Yorker (like me) uses during the weekend:

 

    A- Plastic bottle from a soda.

 

 

    B- Plastic packages from snacks.

 

 

    C- Plastic egg container.

 

 

    D- Plastic cup during an event.

 

 

    E- Plastic package from tiny carrots.

 

 

 

Which of these plastic items are you ready to give up? At least, as a ‘trial,’ until the end of this month?  In my case I am committed to giving up A, C, D and E by replacing these items with other drinks like natural juice or iced tea, bringing and using my hydration bottle to every event, and selecting non-plastic containers. Since I am not sure how I can replace my snacks, I will look for alternatives - maybe I can buy a bigger bag of snacks so that instead of I do it only throw out the packaging once a month instead of every day - and in the meantime I will be more focused on the other items of the list.

 

If you are radical and braver than me, please go all the way and get rid of single-use-plastic from A to Z!

 

3) Create new habits.

 

Where is that reusable tote bag that you bought to support your favorite not-for-profit? Where is that mug that you got as a souvenir during your last trip for your morning coffee? What about buying veggies and fruits without packaging?  And if you feel like making an investment, get a fancy thermos that will stay with you for decades!

 


 

5) Share

 

By the end of the month think about which of these changes are the ones that you are ready to keep for good and invite your family and friends to continue on what could be a plastic free August, and then a plastic free life.

 

If you want to learn more about how to stay in this plastic-free zone and spread the message everywhere you go:

- Visit Plastic Free July to find more tips and tricks.

- Watch Bronx River Cleanup by Futuro Media Group.

- Support Greenpeace’s campaign to demand big corporations do their part to end plastic pollution.

 
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