Plastic Free July – Keep on Keeping On!

I’m sure you’ve all been inundated with Instagram photos, Facebook posts and Blog articles on Plastic Free July.  Rightly so we say, as it’s a subject close to our hearts here at The Free Range Butcher.

Our mission has always been to produce meat products that are ethical and sustainable.  That’s not just a business mission statement but how we try and be in our everyday lives as well.

Plastic Free July was your chance to embrace some new habits over the month. Now that it’s over, it’s important to continue these habits and make them part of the day to day in your household.  It’s the small things that we all do that collectively add up to having a big impact on our environment.

The top four simple things you’ll hear from every ‘eco warrior’ is:

1. Don’t buy bottled water, get your own reusable water bottle. Just use any container you have at home, you don’t need to buy anything fancy.
2. Bring your own shopping bag, there are so many options for reusable bags or you could make your own. Check out Boomerang Bags which is a community driven movement to reduce plastic pollution.
3. Say no to single use plastics like straws, cutlery and takeaway containers. You would be surprised how many people will happily put their product into your container if you just ask. Don’t forget to take your own cutlery in your bag too.
4. Get yourself a reusable coffee cup like a Keep Cup. If I’m out and don’t have my cup with me then I’ll sit in the café and enjoy it.  Win, win I say.

There are many other things that are simple that you can add into your lifestyle like:

• Shop at bulk food stores where you can refill your own containers.
• Avoid fruit and vegetables wrapped in plastic. Buy loose or bring your own reusable produce bags.  Another great reason to shop at the Farmers Market.
• Avoid teabags and get yourself some delightful looseleaf tea instead. Most teabags have plastic in them to stop them ripping when dunked in hot water.  And besides you get a better cuppa from looseleaf tea!
• Stop using paper towels and paper serviettes. Cut-up old face washers to use as dishcloths and go back to the good old days of material napkins.  You probably have some nice napkins that you got as a wedding present or handed down from your Grandma.  Get them out and use them.  They can just as easily go in the wash with everything else.
• Make your own cleaning or personal care products. I keep all my citrus peels to make my own ‘Spray n Wipe’.  Try making your own face scrub with just rolled oats, almonds, sugar and coconut oil.  Couldn’t be simpler than that and you could eat it as well!

A final few words: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot (compost).  If you apply these principals to everything you do, then you’ll be making a huge impact on your local community and our amazing planet.