#PlasticFreeJuly and How Plastic Harms Our Health

A movement called "Plastic Free July" began in 2011, and for the past 14 years it has encouraged everyone, you and me included, to take their challenge to say no to single-serve plastics in the month of July, as well as swap some products out and lower overall plastic use even beyond the 31 days. While this effort is very important to marine life--and I'm sure we all care about the turtles--it hits even closer to home than many realize.

There is growing research on the impacts microplastics--those tiny particles that leech into our food and drinks when they're packaged in plastic--have on our health. Chemicals used in making the plastic have been discovered to be endocrine disrupters, meaning they create imbalance in our body's hormonal levels. Plastic waste that breaks down in the ocean gets eaten by plankton, which impacts larger fish and seafood that consume said plankton as it goes up the food chain, and eventually to our plates. These microplastics also contaminate our shorelines, making them dangerous for local residents. Microplastics can impact our digestive, hormonal, respiratory, and reproductive systems, just to name a few.

So what now? It can be overwhelming to learn about things such as this, that feel so big and beyond our scope of influence. The truth is, however, our actions do count. Switching out even small products like plastic bags at the grocery store for reusable bags or stainless steel straws instead of the plastic ones is a great start. Committing to buy less plastic-related items period and learning to recycle correctly based on your area's requirements also lowers the total amount of plastic in our landfills, oceans, and air. Every purchase of plastic free items is a vote for less plastic, more sustainable products.

Ready for your first step in making a difference? Below are just a few ideas from our friends at PlasticFreeJuly.com. See here for even more!

Water bottles

BYO reusable water bottle instead of buying plastic ones.

Reusable shopping bags

Bring your own reusable shopping bags and help reduce plastic waste.

Plastic straws

Refuse plastic straws when buying a drink & BYO reusable alternative!

Laundry

Simple laundry choices can keep clothes smelling fresh while helping to reduce microplastics. (E.g. buying powdered laundry detergent in bulk to reduce plastic packaging.)