Happy World Environment Day 2023!
World Environment Day is an initiative run by United Nations Environment Programme and aims to engage people worldwide to come together and combine our efforts to protect and restore our beautiful Earth. On June 5th, this annual event will be celebrating its 50th anniversary under the theme of BEAT PLASTIC POLLUTION – A topic that is paramount to us at SimplyGood.
Here are ten ways you can #BeatPlasticPollution in your everyday life.
- CLEAN A BEACH – If you live near a beach or on a coastline, start participating in local beach clean-ups. Alternatively, take your family or friends for a beachside stroll and start your own clean-up. Encourage your kids to pick up plastics and rubbish when they see it.
- CLEAN UP A PARK – If you don’t live near a beach or waterway choose to clean up a local park, walking trail, around your children’s school or even pick a busy street if you’re living in the city – Plastic rubbish is everywhere, so wherever you are, it will be there waiting to be cleaned.
- SHOP SUSTAINABLY – Make sure your choices are sustainable when you’re out shopping or dining. Carry your own shopping bag, say no to food in plastic packaging like fruit and vegetable, reuse your plastic takeaway containers and buy locally.
- TRY LIVING A ZERO-WASTE LIFESTYLE – This lifestyle choice will not only benefit the planet but can also positively impact your bank balance. Think reusable coffee mugs, water bottles, a thermos, food wrappers and quality reusable food containers. The bathroom is a great place to embrace zero-waste from bamboo toothbrushes, reusable silicon earbuds, menstrual cups and underwear, shampoo bars and natural sea sponges instead of synthetic ones.
- TRAVEL SUSTAINABLY – While you’re on holiday watch how your single-use-plastic intake. B-Y-O your lotions, shampoos, and soap bars. Bring your reusable drink bottle and make sure you’re sunscreen is “Reef Safe” – without microplastics.
- SAY “NO” TO FAST FASHION – The fashion industry is responsible for 20% of the world's water waste and 10% of global carbon emissions. Shop responsibly, choose fabrics made from recycled plastics, invest in quality clothing that will last for more than one year, give and receive hand-me-downs and don’t throw away clothing give it a second life at an op-shop. Also, look at where you are shopping, choose sustainable fashion brands, repair clothes when possible and shop vintage.
- CHOOSE PLASTIC FREE PERSONAL CARE – Personal care products like body wash, shampoos and facial scrubs are a major source of microplastics that get washed straight down the drain and into the ocean. Start to take note of the ingredients and choose creams, washes, shampoos and scrubs that are plastic free
- RECYCLE – This one seems like it goes without saying but we can all do better. Start a compost for food scraps, make sure you are properly separating your items to be recycled and ensure you are recycling everything you can.
- ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE – Ask your local shops to stop using plastic bags, refuse plastic straws and cutlery and make sure you tell them why you are refusing them, and talk to your local council about how waste is managed and how this could be improved in your local area.
- START YOUR OWN EVENT – Take a look around your local area and identify ways the community could do better and then look to make that change. In a small coastal town in Australia’s New South Wales, the community started a month-long initiative called “F*ck The Cup”, where businesses were urged to not use disposable coffee cups for takeaways. Customers were urged to bring their own and business owners even had “spare” mugs on hand in case they forgot to BYO.