1 Million Women Take On The Plastic Free July Challenge

As promised, 1 Million Women will be taking on the Plastic Free July challenge this year. Plastic Free July is a global challenge where millions of people give up single use plastic for a whole month. We are all at different stages of our zero waste journeys so here's a bit about the team and what we are giving up this July!

Natalie, Founder and CEO

Have you done Plastic Free July before?

Yes I did it last year and I didn't actually make it through the month.

What are you giving up and for how long?

I am going to give up pointless, ridiculous, over-packaged Fruit and Veg. I'm going to give it up forever….

What item or area will be the most challenging for you?

I have given up so much plastic already but Grace raises a good point on makeup. I don't use any skincare products that come packaged in plastic at all. I use one oil for everything (so much I can tell you about that) but I haven't gotten to mascara or lipstick yet so will definitely think on that.

Why are you doing Plastic Free July? Why is it important to you?

We have to live with the least impact on the planet. It's critical in the fight against climate change. Every one of us is powerful and through every single thing we do we shape the kind of world we want to live in. We have to stop the ridiculous over packaging and our reliance on plastic. It's choking our oceans and everything in it. We can say NO to plastic packaging. It's that simple. Never underestimate the power we all have as individuals to change the world.

Maria, Social Media Intern

Have you done Plastic Free July before?

Yes, this will be my third year doing it!

What are you giving up and for how long?

This year I'm giving up all forms of plastic for the entire month of July! This means I won't be able to purchase anything that comes packaged in any form or plastic. It also means I can't consume any food/beverage that comes with plastic

What item or area will be the most challenging for you?

The most challenging aspect of this challenge for me is doing it while I'm travelling around Europe! So I'll have to pack my own containers/reusable utensils with me (food boxes, cups, cutlery etc.), and I also can't purchase anything in plastic. This is also my first time travelling to Europe, so I have no idea what to expect! The different languages may also be a barrier when I'm requesting no straws in my drinks! I guess I've got to learn how to say "no plastic please" in a few different languages.

Why are you doing Plastic Free July? Why is it important to you?

Plastic Free July is important to me because plastic is not a necessity, yet it's everywhere we look! This challenge is great because it can show people they can live without plastic, and by eliminating one or two plastic items they're really making a difference! I'm doing it to challenge myself and to show others that living plastic-free isn't as difficult as they think. It's also a stepping-stone for me to start living zero waste.

Grace, Social Media Coordinator

Have you done Plastic Free July before?

No I haven't! To be honest I'm pretty hopeless on the plastic front so I'm curious to see how I go.

What are you giving up and for how long?

I'm going to give up all single use plastic for the whole month. Recyclable plastic counts as single use to me as well. I already have things like lip balm though, and I'm not going to go out and buy lip balm in a metal case or something reusable before I finish the ones I've already got.

What item or area will be the most challenging for you?

I haven't figured out what I'm going to do about deodorant. I've actually tried all of the unpackaged versions you can buy, and really wasn't a fan. I'm yet to try out making my own deodorant, and I've heard good things from other staff members as well as from our 1MW community online, so I'm hoping that works out for me. I'll probably have a go at trying to make my own mascara and eyeliner too. I'm also just accepting that there are things we won't be able to get rid of, like medication packaging.

Why are you doing Plastic Free July? Why is it important to you?

All of the reasons. I read the other day that oceans produce the oxygen for every second or third breath we take, so we need to look after them, both by keeping plastic out of them, but also by cutting back on the emissions that are causing ocean acidification because of all the CO2 our oceans are absorbing at the moment. All the oil we have to extract from the ground and process to produce plastic contributes to this. Along with that, I really love animals, I think they deserve to live happy animal lives on our planet, unaffected by humans, but plastic is killing a lot of them.

Tessa, Content Creator

Have you done Plastic Free July before?

This will be my first plastic free July. Last year I did a zero waste week and some of the habits have definitely stuck with me (in the kitchen at least). But I am nowhere near zero waste/plastic free yet.

What are you giving up and for how long?

I plan to give up all single use, non-recyclable and recyclable plastics with a few exceptions. I do plan to keep using the durable plastic items that I can hang on to forever. For example my plastic food containers, refillable lip balm, keep cup and drink bottle.

What item or area will be the most challenging for you?

I think the most difficult part will be negotiating with my boyfriend what we can and cannot buy. Apart from that, I think buying fruit and veg will be difficult. They always come with plastic stickers on them! I'm also anticipating the dreaded straw situation in bars. I need to remember to say no to the straw, and hope that they don't make their way into my drink anyway.

Why are you doing Plastic Free July? Why is it important to you?

Knowing that there will be more pieces of plastic than fish in the ocean within the next few decades makes it really difficult to continue everyday life as usual. I think taking small steps to address the problem is really important, whether it be using a reusable coffee cup instead of disposables or bringing shopping bags instead of using plastic bags. I have removed single-use plastic items from my life and I want to take the next step. I think participating in plastic-free July will be the plunge I need to take to eradicate plastic from my life.

Eva, Content Creator

Have you done Plastic Free July before?

Nope this is my first one! I've only ever watched cautiously from afar but now it's time to take the leap.

What are you giving up and for how long?

I'm giving up most of my plastic. My commitment is to not buy or bring any new plastic into my life and to not use any existing plastic in my life that can't be reused or refilled. Keep cup and tupperware, no worries. Deodorant and face-wash, not so much.

What item or area will be the most challenging for you?

The bathroom will be my biggest challenge. I currently have plastic razors, deodorant, moisturiser, face-wash, makeup, shampoo and conditioner so all bar the shampoo and conditioner, which I plan to refill, will have to be stored away for the next month.

Why are you doing Plastic Free July? Why is it important to you?

I like to think that I'm a pretty environmentally friendly person. I pick up plastic at the beach, I'm mostly vegetarian, I volunteer in the climate movement and I NEVER use plastic bags. But there's always more you can be doing to protect the planet. Basically, I love and appreciate the world we live in and I'm going to do everything I can to make it a better place, one baby step at a time.

So will you take on the Plastic Free July Challenge with us? Sign up here to start your own plastic free journey!

Read this next: What I Learned From Failing Plastic Free July

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