Make your plastic-free pledge

Plastic free July is a campaign led by the Plastic Free Foundation in Australia. It is a global movement that supports people to become part of the solution to the plastics problem. You can sign up to be a part of it on the Plastic Free July website. 

The challenge provides 3 options including committing to going entirely plastic-free. So far 120 million participants have signed up to participate in the pledge. The website has a range of resources to give you ideas to help towards a #choosetorefuse attitude towards plastics. 

Plastic-free at Portsmouth

Staff in the University of Portsmouth’s Research and Innovation Services are doing their part by making a pledge to give-up one single-use plastic item for the month of July and some beyond. These include buying drinks in cans instead of plastic bottles and plastic-free periods by using washable, reusable pads such as the ones manufactured by Hesta.

Dr Elizabeth Clutton, the departments Research Facilities Commercialisation Officer and founder of See Bin Sea Change, a public outreach campaign in Portsmouth, commented:

“The plastic free July initiative has really taken off at UoP, and it’s great to see so many people actively thinking about how to reduce their dependency on single use plastic, and other changes they can make to reduce their impact on the environment.”

Small steps equals big change

 One of the Plastic Free Foundations’s core values is that small changes add up to a big difference. The Foundation itself started from humble beginnings in 2011 and has grown to one of the most influential environmental campaigns in the world. 

If each person commits to removing just one item of single use plastic for good or stops using all single use plastic for just one month each year, this will add up to make a big difference in reducing the amount of plastic waste.  

The Plastics Free July survey data revealed that participants on average:

  • reduce their household waste by 7.6% per year
  • contribute to a total saving of 490 million kg of plastic waste each year 

The campaign’s aim is to provide people with the tools to make lasting changes to reduce their reliance on plastic and make an impact.

Life after Plastic Free July – next steps

The Plastic Free July impact meets the UN Sustainable Development Goals 11, 12, 14 and 15. 

At present, 29% of people surveyed worldwide are aware of plastic free July. Through increased awareness and global commitment, the impact of plastic free july will continue to reduce plastic waste even further. 

For inspiration, you can read stories about people’s journeys to a plastic-free lifestyle with the support of the Plastic Free Foundation on the Plastic Free July webpage.

The Plastic Free Foundation’s vision is to see a World without plastic waste.