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?
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.
The e-book is available to download for free!
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.
To download the book, click 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 hope you'll join in too - whether it's by making your own reusable bags or simply by refusing plastic straws.
