Walk for Peace

Plastic Free July is already off to a fantastic start. On July 1, over 4,000 people made a Pledge and set a world record for people refusing single-use plastic. 

Pledges came in from all around, including schools in the United Arab Emirates, offices in London, politicians in Australia, and community groups in New Zealand. People pledged to remember their reusable bags and utensils, purchase unpackaged produce, bulk buy cleaning products, switch teabags for loose leaf, and more – all in the name of making small changes that add up to a huge impact on plastic waste.

So many innovative and impactful pledges have come in from around the world. 

Kainos, a technology company in Ireland, are running several initiatives in July – replacing plastic stationery with lower-impact alternatives, setting up a shared reusable shopping bag borrowing library, and switching plastic-wrapped sweets for paper ones. The Maryland team at NGO Homes for America pledged to avoid single-use food takeout containers for their weekly team lunches.

To mark Plastic Free July, Miami-Dade county in the US launched new water refill stations. The stations provide free water for commuters at their Government Center Metrorail Station, with plans to add more stations across the transit system.

Charlotte in the UK is doing a waste audit to see where she and her family can make conscious and simple swaps away from plastic – especially in their online grocery orders. And embassies around the world are taking part in Plastic Free July, making individual and group pledges, engaging their staff, and taking part in local cleanups.

We’re now solidly in week 2 of the challenge, and so far we’ve loved seeing your pledges and stories come in. Keep sharing and tagging us on social media, or send us your story on our website. We’ll be back next week with even more news, stories, and ideas to reduce plastic waste.

Thanks and best wishes from the Plastic Free July™ team.