Plastic Free July: A to Z Guide of Swaps, Tips & Eco-Friendly Hacks

Plastic Free July is here! Started back in 2011 with just a handful of people in Western Australia, Plastic Free July has grown to reach millions of people across more than 150 countries. All you have to do to join the Plastic Free July challenge is to 'Choose to Refuse' single use plastic across the month of July. 

What is Plastic Free July?

Plastic Free July inspires millions to reduce single-use plastic. Even small changes make a difference. Use this A to Z guide to discover simple swaps and tips for a more sustainable lifestyle—ideal for beginners and eco-enthusiasts.

Why Go Plastic Free?

• Reduces pollution and waste.
• Protects wildlife and natural resources.
• Saves money with reusable alternatives.

A  -  Agreena wraps. Silicone wraps that take the place of glad wrap. They stretch over the top of bowls and plates and reseal them. You can use them as sandwich wraps or to keep single things fresh in the fridge, like a half a lemon. Or use them to replace baking paper in the oven. Genius!

B -  Biobag. Switch to compostable Biobags for your rubbish bin. They’re better for the environment than regular plastic bags.

C - Coffee cups. Say no to single-use cups with a reusable coffee cup.

D -Drinking Cups or Deodorant Jars. Carry stainless steel cups or choose deodorant in tins or jars. Decant bulk products into smaller jars at home to cut plastic.

E - Eggs. Buy eggs and produce without plastic packaging. Local markets often use less packaging and offer fresher choices.

F - Filter jug. Use a water filter jug at home to avoid bottled water. Fill up a reusable bottle before leaving the house.

G - Glass baby bottles and sippy cups. Choose glass baby bottles and sippy cups for a safer, reusable option.

H - Hair Brush. Swap plastic brushes for a wooden hair brush or comb.

I - Insulated food jars. Brilliant in winter for warming soups and stews. "I" could also be for individually wrapped snacks (just say no!).

J - Jars. Save all your jars and use them for storage, for dinky salads for lunch, for making salad dressing. Or even for making your own jam from all the extra fruit at the end of summer.

K - Keepleaf. This great brand will keep single use snaplock bags and sandwich wraps out of the bin! Cute, easy to use and easy to wash, too.

L - Lunchboxes. From stainless steel to long lasting plastic, nothing cuts down on single use plastic day to day like a lunchbox.

M - Milk. Okay, so I'm back to my local farmer's market. But how good is this - Schultz Organic Dairies sell milk in glass bottles. With the cream on top, too, I'm happy to add!

N - Nappies. Even if you used a cloth nappy just once a day, think how many disposables you could keep out of landfill!

O - Oranges, apples, lettuces ... Use a produce bag instead of grabbing a plastic bag, or instead of buying prepacked fruit.

P - Personal care. There are so many plastic free alternatives for personal care these days. Try Natracare or Organyc for plastic free single use tampons and pads. 

Q - Quinces. My neighbours have a quince tree, and they don't cook them up, but I do. And then I go all old school and share them around as poached fruit, jam and jelly. And of course I store them all in my saved jam jars. Delish!

R - Refuse, reuse, reduce, rot and then finally - recycle.

S - Straws, shampoo bars, shopping bags. Plastic straws are a scourge. Go with stainless steel, bamboo or even paper. Shampoo bars are my new love - no plastic, they last forever and my hair loves them! Shopping bags - I won't let anyone leave the house without a shopping bag.

T - Toothbrushes. There are so many biodegradable toothbrushes on the market now that there's just no excuse for using a plastic one.

U -   Um - umbrella? Okay, so now we're at the tricky part of the alphabet. But my point here is to buy good quality things that will last, rather than buying throwaway items. I bought a windproof umbrella years ago, and I still have it (thanks to my name in permanent marker on it!)

V - Volume. Buy in bulk and save on packaging. Although I have to admit that it did take us a while to get through 15kgs of porridge oats, it was totally worth it. And I do love porridge!

W - Waterbottles and Wipes. Don't buy water. Just don't. And for wipes - get biodegradable ones, because the non biodegradable ones are made from plastic cloth. Or better still, make your own wipes.

X - X Ray Fish. Okay, so this has absolutely nothing to do with anything but my children had an A to Z caterpillar train that had animals for each letter. Much to my amusement, X was an X Ray Fish. Never caught one of these myself, but who knows? Or you could have X for Xylophone - sustainable toys that can be handed down for generations.

Y - Yo Yo bags. Otherwise known as boomerang bags. My local farmers market always has a stash of bags that you can borrow or you can hand in.

Z - Zzzz. Because you'll sleep with a clear conscience if you can manage even a few of these…

Share Your Ideas!

What’s your favorite plastic free swap? Let us know in the comments below or tag us on social media! #PlasticFreeJuly