Plastic has been at the forefront of action on reducing humans impacts on the environment and with Plastic Free July in full swing local councils and environment groups are reminding people to come on board and think about the way you use plastic.
Ballina Shire Council is a Plastic Free July council member and is focusing on reducing plastic waste that goes to landfill.
‘Last year more than 300 million people globally participated in the Plastic Free July challenge. The challenge asks everyday people to practice habits to reduce plastic consumption over the month of July,’ said a council spokesperson.
Ballina Shire Mayor Cr David Wright is on board with the campaign.
‘For Plastic Free July I’m inspired to use my soda maker for sparkling water, which reduces reliance on plastic bottles,’ said Cr Wright. ‘I urge residents to get on board with the challenge and see what solutions they can find.
Takeaway cup challenge
On local group Mullum Cares is calling on the community to take personal responsibility for single-use cup habits – and kick it.
Founder Sasha Mainsbridge says, ‘Imagine that there’s no such thing as a take away coffee cup’.
‘In this Plastic Free Utopia, you’ll be forced to sit down to drink, or go without, if you’ve forgotten your keep cup. If you commit to this simple change, you’ll soon remember to BYO. And all the R&D that’s going into finding a non-landfill single-use cup solution can be redirected to something that actually matters.
‘Choosing to refuse means you need to be prepared with your own takeaway needs. That’s what Plastic Free July is all about.
Sasha adds her organisation is ‘really appreciative that Council is running a “Byron loves BYO” campaign’.
‘It’s seriously supportive during these challenging Covid times. If a cafe tells you they can’t accept keep cups you can just ask, “Would you be able to make my drink in one of your have-here cups, and I’ll tip it into my keep cup?” Problem solved!
Mullum Cares is also advocating adding a cutlery pouch to your reusable cup to make a manageable everyday BYO kit.
Pouch Upcycling Workshop
Mullum Cares Salvage Culture Project is hosting Fabric Cutlery Pouch Upcycling Workshops on Saturday July 17 and 24.
To register to attend a workshop or to read about the Plastic Perfect Match competition go to mullumcares.com.au. For more visit www.plasticfreejuly.org.
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