Inspiring tales from Plastic Free July

Eve Jeffery

Consumers are saying no to single-use plastics this month for Plastic Free July, a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution. 

Locally, two entrepreneurial women are doing their part by helping us do ours. 

All Sophie Kovic wanted was a lunch box for her son Archie. Sophie had a lot of trouble finding something that was kind to the environment, yet practical.

Non-plastic lunchboxes

She couldn’t find one single non-plastic lunch container that suited, and after paying over $100 for a metal lunch box, she set to work designing her own. 

Sophie decided to create a new kind of lunch box and since doing that the response has been great – her Billinudgel-based business Seed and Sprout has gone boom.

Sophie has now expanded her range beyond the lunchbox to include shopping bags, produce bags, reusable food wraps, and many other reusable items.

Meanwhile New Brighton mum Danni Carr was looking for a more mindful idea for hubby Ash Grunwald’s merchandise stand.

Earthbottles

She turned a simple non-plastic reusable bottle into a thriving operation to arrest a rising global issue.

Danni’s Earthbottles range has also expanded to include reusable coffee cups, shopping and produce bags, clothes, and much more, including reusable straws.

Danni says it begins with baby steps. ‘I think Plastic Free July is an opportunity to see that it is actually possible to do without or at least reduce your plastic consumption.’

Danni says she pretty much sticks to bulk food stores and farmers markets as much as possible.

‘We only very occasionally go to the supermarket. We try our best,’ says Danni.

‘There are other options,’ says Danni. ‘You won’t do it easily at first, but making small changes helps.

‘The thing is not to feel like you to have to do it perfectly at first – we’re trying to not eat anything from a packet. That’s a good place to start.’

For more information, visit www.plasticfreejuly.org.