Woohoo! July is here! And you know what that means: summer! Also, it’s time for yet another Plastic-Free July. If you don’t know, Plastic-Free July is a worldwide movement to go without single-use plastic for the whole month of July—and everyone can join! You can go to their website and pledge to accept the challenge and take their Pesky Plastics Quiz to find out what plastics you can change. I’d also recommend following them on their social media to check out all the tips they will be sharing throughout the month. The movement itself focuses more on progress rather than results—it’s really not about being perfect, but about making an effort to change—so you shouldn’t feel intimidated.
As you probably know, I have been doing my best to live a low-impact life and go plastic-free for a few years now. You can check out my Zero Waste in Indonesia post, if you like. If you’ve never joined the challenge before and this is your first time, I thought I’d share some easy tips you can apply to your life to go without plastics—consider these your first steps, if you will.

Woohoo! July is here! And you know what that means: summer! Also, it’s time for yet another Plastic-Free July. If you don’t know, Plastic-Free July is a worldwide movement to go without single-use plastic for the whole month of July—and everyone can join! You can go to their website and pledge to accept the challenge and take their Pesky Plastics Quiz to find out what plastics you can change. I’d also recommend following them on their social media to check out all the tips they will be sharing throughout the month. The movement itself focuses more on progress rather than results—it’s really not about being perfect, but about making an effort to change—so you shouldn’t feel intimidated.
As you probably know, I have been doing my best to live a low-impact life and go plastic-free for a few years now. You can check out my Zero Waste in Indonesia post, if you like. If you’ve never joined the challenge before and this is your first time, I thought I’d share some easy tips you can apply to your life to go without plastics—consider these your first steps, if you will.

1. Bring your own lunch
+ drink to work
It might seem really simple and obvious, but you’ll be surprised how many people still don’t do this regularly. In fact, bringing your own lunch and drink has been used as a source of ridicule in the average workplace—which I will never understand. Not only will this cut down your plastic consumption by about half, it also saves up a lot of money and time. Say goodbye to your lunch confusion forever 👋🏻
How to go the extra mile: If possible, wash your lunch box at work and use it as a container if you have to buy snacks in the afternoon and/or other food on the way home. Also, refill your water bottle at work before you go home or choose to refill your bottle instead of buying a plastic bottle at the supermarket, if you can. Refill My Bottle is a good initiative that can help you find refill stations near you.

1. Bring your own lunch
+ drink to work
It might seem really simple and obvious, but you’ll be surprised how many people still don’t do this regularly. In fact, bringing your own lunch and drink has been used as a source of ridicule in the average workplace—which I will never understand. Not only will this cut down your plastic consumption by about half, it also saves up a lot of money and time. Say goodbye to your lunch confusion forever 👋🏻
How to go the extra mile: If possible, wash your lunch box at work and use it as a container if you have to buy snacks in the afternoon and/or other food on the way home. Also, refill your water bottle at work before you go home or choose to refill your bottle instead of buying a plastic bottle at the supermarket, if you can. Refill My Bottle is a good initiative that can help you find refill stations near you.


2. Travel with your own cup + cutlery
This is still technically an extension of my first point, but let’s set the scene, shall we? Imagine you’re going out with friends or your loved ones, and the place where you eat only provide plastic cutlery. Or you want to eat at the office but the pantry is all out of cutlery. Or you’re getting your takeaway coffee fix for the day, but they only have plastic cups. Wouldn’t it be nice to come prepared and provide for yourself in these scenarios? This also goes for straws, if you feel the need for one. Opting for your own reusable container, cutlery and straw can—as I’ve said—cut down your plastic consumption by 50%. Perhaps even more if you do it everyday and everywhere.
How to go the extra mile: Bring more than one set of cutlery or reusable cup when you’re out with someone else. Perhaps bring two straws, or two spoons, or two cups—if possible.

2. Travel with your own cup + cutlery
This is still technically an extension of my first point, but let’s set the scene, shall we? Imagine you’re going out with friends or your loved ones, and the place where you eat only provide plastic cutlery. Or you want to eat at the office but the pantry is all out of cutlery. Or you’re getting your takeaway coffee fix for the day, but they only have plastic cups. Wouldn’t it be nice to come prepared and provide for yourself in these scenarios? This also goes for straws, if you feel the need for one. Opting for your own reusable container, cutlery and straw can—as I’ve said—cut down your plastic consumption by 50%. Perhaps even more if you do it everyday and everywhere.
How to go the extra mile: Bring more than one set of cutlery or reusable cup when you’re out with someone else. Perhaps bring two straws, or two spoons, or two cups—if possible.
That way you can lend your friend your reusable item so that they, too, won’t have to opt for the plastic ones. Or, when you’re not using your cup, cutlery or straw, you can perhaps lend them to your friends when they need it—just teach them how to use the item, wash it and return it to you.

3. Always choose to reuse
We have all heard about recycling so much lately, like it’s the hail mary of the waste and climate crisis—but that’s wrong! Recycling can only do so much for our environment, and it has its bad impacts too. What will truly make a difference is if we choose to keep reusing items we own and repairing them when they break—as much as we can. Opting to wash used jam jars and reuse them for our seasonings, for instance, can go a long way. Plus, they add such a cute aesthetics to our home.
How to go the extra mile: I know this is called “plastic-free” July, but that doesn’t mean we have to chock all our plastic items in the bin. In fact, sometimes packages we receive may contain plastics in them too—and we can’t control that. What we can do is salvage anything we can reuse. For instance, bubble wraps. If we receive one and it can be salvaged, we can save it for our future packages.
That way you can lend your friend your reusable item so that they, too, won’t have to opt for the plastic ones. Or, when you’re not using your cup, cutlery or straw, you can perhaps lend them to your friends when they need it—just teach them how to use the item, wash it and return it to you.

3. Always choose to reuse
We have all heard about recycling so much lately, like it’s the hail mary of the waste and climate crisis—but that’s wrong! Recycling can only do so much for our environment, and it has its bad impacts too. What will truly make a difference is if we choose to keep reusing items we own and repairing them when they break—as much as we can. Opting to wash used jam jars and reuse them for our seasonings, for instance, can go a long way. Plus, they add such a cute aesthetics to our home.
How to go the extra mile: I know this is called “plastic-free” July, but that doesn’t mean we have to chock all our plastic items in the bin. In fact, sometimes packages we receive may contain plastics in them too—and we can’t control that. What we can do is salvage anything we can reuse. For instance, bubble wraps. If we receive one and it can be salvaged, we can save it for our future packages.
4. Keep a tote bag with
you at all times
You never know when you might need to stop by the supermarket or if someone gives you more items than your initial bag can carry—basically, when you might need an extra bag. Better safe than go with disposable plastic bags, I say! One tote bag will not take up a lot of space in your bag, so just always keep one rolled and handy in your carry-on at all times.
How to go the extra mile: Swap out the regular tear-away plastic at the supermarket with a produce bag to buy your fruits and veggies, as well as grains, nuts and eggs. Produce bags come in various types and sizes. My favourite type is a drawstring pouch that comes in small, medium and large. Fill a pouch with a tote bag and a few produce bags to really be prepared for anything. That way, impromptu supermarket visits won’t result in plastics anymore.

4. Keep a tote bag with
you at all times
You never know when you might need to stop by the supermarket or if someone gives you more items than your initial bag can carry—basically, when you might need an extra bag. Better safe than go with disposable plastic bags, I say! One tote bag will not take up a lot of space in your bag, so just always keep one rolled and handy in your carry-on at all times.
How to go the extra mile: Swap out the regular tear-away plastic at the supermarket with a produce bag to buy your fruits and veggies, as well as grains, nuts and eggs. Produce bags come in various types and sizes. My favourite type is a drawstring pouch that comes in small, medium and large. Fill a pouch with a tote bag and a few produce bags to really be prepared for anything. That way, impromptu supermarket visits won’t result in plastics anymore.


5. Say NO to unnecessary freebies
Freebies are nothing but traps! In truth, nothing on this earth is ever truly free. If an item exists, there’s been a trade of energy or money that goes into its conception or production—especially when the item is undeniably made out of plastics. I’m not saying you should say no to ALL freebies, no! If you feel the freebie will be of use to you, by all means, accept it! However, if you don’t see the need for it, please feel free to decline it, if possible. Accepting them doesn’t keep these freebies from going to landfill, it only transfers the guilt to you as the last owner of the item. So, please, if you don’t need it, just say no.
How to go the extra mile: If you can’t control the freebies you receive, you can always control how you’re going to dispose of them should you need to. Get to know your products’ materials and learn to separate your garbage. To start with, keep your organic and non-organic waste. Plastics alone come in various types and ways of disposing. Learn about their differences and which packagings and items constitute which. Depending on where you live on earth, you might already implement this on your daily life—unfortunately, Indonesia isn’t one of those countries. If you live in Indonesia, you can check out Waste4Change, Octopus and Rekosistem to learn more about how to sort your waste and manage them.

If this is your first time joining #PlasticFreeJuly, please don’t feel intimidated!
Feel free to check out all the tips and tricks I’ve written on living an eco-conscious life!
Here’s to a plastic-free month for us all!

5. Say NO to unnecessary freebies
Freebies are nothing but traps! In truth, nothing on this earth is ever truly free. If an item exists, there’s been a trade of energy or money that goes into its conception or production—especially when the item is undeniably made out of plastics. I’m not saying you should say no to ALL freebies, no! If you feel the freebie will be of use to you, by all means, accept it! However, if you don’t see the need for it, please feel free to decline it, if possible. Accepting them doesn’t keep these freebies from going to landfill, it only transfers the guilt to you as the last owner of the item. So, please, if you don’t need it, just say no.
How to go the extra mile: If you can’t control the freebies you receive, you can always control how you’re going to dispose of them should you need to. Get to know your products’ materials and learn to separate your garbage. To start with, keep your organic and non-organic waste. Plastics alone come in various types and ways of disposing. Learn about their differences and which packagings and items constitute which. Depending on where you live on earth, you might already implement this on your daily life—unfortunately, Indonesia isn’t one of those countries. If you live in Indonesia, you can check out Waste4Change, Octopus and Rekosistem to learn more about how to sort your waste and manage them.
