Plastic Free July started in 2011 in Perth, Australia as a way to raise awareness of the huge amounts of plastic in our lives and the waste this produces. The aim is to get people thinking about single use plastics in their day to day lives over the course of a month, and to try to eliminate them.
This is no longer just a small movement here in Australia - more than 40,000 people in 90 countries worldwide now participate in Plastic Free July.
Will you try too?
Go here to read more.
Probably one of the most common single use plastic object found in daily life is the plastic shopping bag.
It is also one of the simplest things to cut out of your life simply by taking your own reusable shopping bags with you when you shop.
You can buy some or better still make your own. You need nothing more than an old sheet and some basic sewing skills!
Then there's the fruit and veggies you buy - and the small plastic bags you put those in too.
Once again - reusable bags.
Make your own - these ones are made from an old set of net curtains!
Or keep a folded handibag with you for unexpected shopping. This one is simple to make from a pillowcase!
It's all very well to have all these reusable bags, but how many times have you forgotten to take your bags with you? or left them in the car when you went into the supermarket?
I know I used to do that all the time!
So that's why I designed a special handbag that has all these bags inside, so you never forget your reusable shopping bags again!
Every week I get nice comments from people at the shops, and my weekly grocery shopping looks like this!
To try to help others reduce or even cut completely their consumption of single use plastic shopping bags, I put the sewing tutorials for all of these bags together in an ebook for anyone interested in making a set of their own.
All of the bags can be made using mostly recycled fabrics, and the tutorials are written clearly with plenty of photos meaning that anyone with basic sewing skills and a sewing machine can give these a go.
So why not take this step towards reducing your single use plastic consumption.
Soon you could have your own complete set of reusable shopping bags, never to be forgotten at home or in the car.
The E-book is available for free download by clicking this link:
I myself have been using my reusable shopping bags for several years and have refused countless plastic bags.
I have also signed up for Plastic Free July this year to see if there are more ways I can reduce my plastic consumption.
I shall be sharing my journey here and on my Facebook page.
I hope you'll join in too - whether it's by making your own reusable bags or simply by refusing plastic straws.
I try to keep my reusable bags in the car, but I still sometimes go into the shops without them. I must make myself some lightweight bags for fruit and vegies. Your curtain net bags are a great idea.
ReplyDeleteThanks Pam!
DeleteI just read an article about micro-something plastic that ends up in the lakes, is in the air and can't be properly removed from the water we drink. It is from the plastic we throw away as it doesn't compost, melt or anything, it just breaks into smaller and smaller pieces until it is something we can't see and we think it is gone but isn't. I think the only way to properly destroy plastic, is burn it in places meant for it (i.e. have high enough temperature) but sadly not every trash collecting company does that. Ours doesn't, our waste goes to usual landfall at the moment. :( And yes, the amount of plastic bags, it is insane! We have big shopping bags but the problem is like you said that we forget them at home or in the car... I will start planning new hand bag for me with a pocket for couple shopping bags and start training my husband to at least carry a folded, old, plastic bag with him at all times. Also here the plastic bags cost about 0,20 - 0,25€ /bag, no doubt it is because with that they try to decrease the amount of them by doing that so it can easily be tens of euros in a year for big family. That's at least a reason my husband will understand... ;) Great idea also to donate part of your book's income to WWF!
ReplyDeletePlastic Bags are so wasteful and bad for the environment, it's such a small thing to take a reusable bag with you when you're out, I hope I can inspire others to do that too! I'd love to see your handbag with bag pockets when you make one!! :)
DeleteIn my part of California they will not give you plastic bags anymore. You either bring your bags or you can purchase reusable bags. We all carry bags with us. More and more cities are doing this near us. I have saved this to my DIY Grocery Bags board: https://www.pinterest.com/thelostapron/diy-grocery-bags/
ReplyDeleteThanks Ana! I wish they charged for plastic bags here, then people might think twice about using so many of them!
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