Are you excited for July? I am because it’s the month when we celebrate Canada Day, my birthday and our wedding anniversary. But I’m also excited for Plastic Free July! Will you join the Plastic Free July movement with me? To help you get started, I’ve got 31 simple changes that will make a difference for our planet.

This post was originally published in June 2021 and updated in May 2024.

What is Plastic Free July?

Plastic Free July is a global initiative that helps people be part of the movement to reduce single-use plastic. It started in 2011 in Australia and has since expanded to millions of people around the world. To date, it has inspired over 326 million people in 177 countries to commit to change.

Plastic is everywhere

Over the last couple of years, I have significantly reduced the amount of single-use plastic I use. Last year, I decided the Plastic Free July challenge was a logical next step. I knew it would be difficult, but it was a lot tougher than I expected!

The main thing I learned is single-use plastic is everywhere and it’s pretty much impossible to fully eliminate it. Check out 10 things I learned from Plastic Free July for a full recap of what I learned from the challenge.

My Plastic Free July goal for this year

This year, I’m giving myself a different challenge. Of course, I’ll continue with the changes I’ve already made. In addition, my goal is to research and try 3 alternatives to single-use plastic items I haven’t been able to eliminate. I’ll report back on my learnings.

Let’s keep in touch! Join my mailing list and I’ll email you when I add a new post.

31 ways you can make a difference starting today

I hope you’ll join the movement and commit to small changes. Since there are 31 days in July, I’ve put together a roundup of 31 changes you can make this Plastic Free July. Pick one, two, or if you’re feeling really ambitious, try all 31. If there’s a switch you want to try, I’ve included links to my previous posts with tips and more information to help you.

Are you ready? Here we go!

1. Replace plastic straws with paper, metal or silicone
2. Switch to unwrapped bar soap
3. Fill your reusable water bottle and take it everywhere with you
4. Shop with reusable bags and ditch the plastic
5. Swap your shampoo and conditioner bottles for bars
6. Switch to unwrapped deodorant bars
7. Pack your own travel toiletries and forego hotel toiletries
8. Get some biodegradable pet waste bags
9. Make your coffee at home or use a reusable travel mug for your takeout
10. Shop at stores that offer BYOC (Bring Your Own Container) programs
11. Get your takeout from restaurants that offer sustainable packaging
12. Use reusable produce bags or buy your produce loose
13. Use containers or silicone lids instead of plastic wrap
14. Replace your plastic toothbrush with a bamboo toothbrush
15. Choose an alternative to disposable plastic razors
16. Pack your own snacks for travel
17. Give toothpaste tablets a try
18. Use a stain remover bar
19. Refill your printer ink cartridges
20. Brew your own iced tea using loose leaf tea
21. Replace your night cream and 11 other common beauty products with a jar of coconut oil
22. Refuse plastic cutlery
23. Use containers instead of sandwich or snack bags
24. Replace your plastic shower pouf with a loofah, washcloth, or hemp scrubbing mitt
25. Make your own DIY toilet cleaner with 4 simple ingredients
26. Skip the plastic glitter when making crafts
27. Choose natural fabrics if you’re buying new clothes. Better still, buy second-hand.
28. Research the packaging and shipping policies for your online purchases
29. Look for candy with no plastic packaging
30. Switch to digital subscriptions to avoid plastic-wrapped newspapers and magazines
31. Bake your own cookies, muffins or granola bars

And, if you do buy anything in plastic packaging, reuse as much of the packaging as you can. For example, use yogurt tubs for food storage, or wash and reuse the bags from frozen fruit and vegetables instead of buying freezer bags.

I hope you found something here that you can try this month. Remember, there are no losers in the Plastic Free July movement. Every change, no matter how small, adds up.

What are your plans for Plastic Free July? Tell us your ideas below.