| How To: Prep for Plastic Free Week Have you heard about Plastic Free Week? It starts July 1 and now is a great time to start to think about how you can be part of the solution! What started as a small movement in Australia in 2011 has since expanded to more than 150 cities with millions of participants worldwide. The goal of Plastic Free Week is to challenge people to not use any single-use plastics for a week in hopes to help them form more sustainable habits beyond just those seven days. Tru Earth lives a zero-waste lifestyle free of single-use plastics. If you’re up for it, we’d love to have you join us. We promise it won’t affect how much fun you can have or limit you in any way – if you want to still live your best life while also avoiding single-use plastics, the key is being prepared. Here are some helpful tools and tips to help you stay plastic free. BYOC (Bring Your Own Cup) July is HOT. And there’s nothing quite like a cool iced coffee in the morning after waking up with your sheets sticking to your sweaty thighs. To keep your daily coffee shop trip plastic-free, bring along your own reusable cup, thermos or mason jar. Be bold and kindly request your drink in your own container, and feel free to even throw in “I’m challenging myself to not use any single-use plastics!” to spread the word on the movement. Skip the plastic straw The average person uses about 1.6 non-recyclable plastic straws per day, plus plastic straws are one of the most common forms of plastic pollution in the ocean. Adopt the phrase “no straw please” when ordering a drink at a bar or glass of water at a restaurant. Or get yourself a reusable option like a stainless steel, bamboo or silicone straw for sipping your iced coffee. Shove reusable bags everywhere It takes a second to get into the habit of bringing reusable bags with you when shopping, so set yourself up for success by pre-placing bags all over your home, car and in your work or school bag. You can also switch to reusable cotton produce bags or reusable grocery bags (which can also be used for carrying other stuff, like towels to the beach!) Just say “nah” to plastic cling wrap Try a more sustainable alternative to wrap up leftovers like aluminum foil which is 100% recyclable, or a personal favourite, reusable beeswax wrap or reusable beeswax snack bags. Buh-bye protein bars, hello bulk snacks A huge source of single-use plastics for many people comes in the form of prepackaged grab-and-go food like a protein or granola bar. You can get all the same nutrients and flavor from common items in the bulk food section of Whole Foods or a natural foods store like nuts, dried fruit and granola. Or reach for a piece of real fruit instead when you’ve got a hankering for a snack. Or if you’re really feeling up for it, experiment with making your own snack bars using bulk ingredients, or items that come in recyclable packaging. Meet your new BFF, your reusable water bottle The plastic free tool that’s always got your back – a sturdy reusable water bottle. Especially in the hot temps of summer, staying hydrated is incredibly important. Treat your water bottle as if it’s your third hand and don’t ever leave home without it. If you’re down for good old tap water, fill it up in the bathroom sink, or if you’re at a bar (as many people are for the majority of July…) ask the bartender to fill it up. If your local tap isn’t the best, or you just prefer filtered water, get yourself a small water filter that can fit inside your bottle that uses a 100% compostable and natural charcoal water filter. Switch up your personal care routine Though many personal care items such as deodorant sticks, plastic razors or face wash in a plastic tube aren’t technically “single-use” plastics, many of them are non-recyclable in traditional municipal recycling. But you can try reusable bamboo make-up remover rounds to help eliminate some extra plastics (like the bags the traditional make-up remover pads come in...) Use Plastic Free Week as your excuse to start exploring some different options Are you ready to take the challenge? | 
