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Plastic-free July is a global movement that helps millions of people to get involved and be part of the solution to plastic pollution.
So that we can have cleaner streets, cleaner oceans, and beautiful, eco-friendly communities. Without us even realising, plastic has fast become a permanent fixture in our day to day lives. Everything from brushing our teeth and cleaning our ears to the bags we pay 5p for when we’ve been shopping; bottled drinks or a takeaway sandwich we grab on the go… these are all plastics that we throw away without a thought as to where it’s going.
Did you know plastic items take up to 1000 years to decompose in landfills? The plastic bags we use in our everyday life take 10-20 years to decompose, while plastic bottles take 450 years. These also sadly reach our oceans and are detrimental to the lives of our sea creatures. As David Attenborough says: “We have to act now to try and clear up some of the appalling damage we have made to the ocean… and that is going to require positive action”. YES. IT. IS.
If you’ve been participating in Plastic Free July this year, a huge pat on the back for you. If not, it’s okay! You can start now and still contribute significantly to the environment – being plastic-free isn’t just limited to one month. At MettaLife we want to encourage continuing these plastic-free, sustainable efforts throughout the whole year and continuing to cut down on single-use plastics and non-recyclable products and packaging as much as possible. We promote and encourage living an organic, eco-friendly and environmentally sustainable way of life and want to make it as easy as possible for you to do this.
There’s an abundance of home alternatives that we have available on our site, from everyday items such as reusable cutlery, combs and cotton buds, to organic and plastic-free gifts and daily essentials such as reusable coffee cups, bamboo lunch boxes and so many more.
Here’s a collection of some of our favourite sustainable, eco-friendly and plastic-free items
Dream Believer Reusable Glass Coffee Cups:
If you still need some persuading as to why you should be plastic-free, here’s some points that may nudge you in the right (and more sustainable) direction…
It saves money! If you consciously focus on being plastic free, you can cut down on spending a significant amount, because when you think about it – most plastics are single use items and get thrown away almost immediately. Think of all the plastic bags, bottles of drinks, ziplock bags, cling film, plastic cups or cutlery that you spend money on. These are all disregarded after one use. This is kind of a waste when you think about it, but we’re so used to doing it that we don’t. Switching to non-plastic versions of these means you save money in the long run and can also re-use the items for a much longer time! Even the small act of buying a reusable water bottle could save you from buying and throwing out hundreds of plastic water bottles throughout the year. (and let’s face it, they’re nicer!)
Plastic is cheap. Because it’s not built to be long lasting – most plastic products are cheap and therefore not of great quality. Investing in non-plastic items gives you the luxury of better quality products made from more sustainable and eco-friendly materials such as stainless steel, copper, bamboo, beeswax cloth and more. They’re higher quality, they look nicer and they’ll last you much, much longer. It’s a no brainer…
It’s healthier for your body. The body is a temple, right? And we want to look after it as best we can. Plastics contain so many toxins and chemicals that find their way into our body and can negatively affect our health. Why not switch to a more conscious and sustainable way of life and be kinder to your body in the process?
Its kinder to the environment. All of those single use plastics create so much waste – yes some of it can be recycled and repurposed which is a huge plus – but the rest of it doesn’t. It lasts for hundreds or even thousands of years and will outlive us all. So let’s look after the planet more for the future generations to come.
The bottom line is we all need to be a part of the solution, and we can all make a difference. Plastic Free July is a start, but why stop there? Let’s work together to continue creating a more sustainable and environmentally friendly plastic free life. Our planet, our communities, our sea creatures and our bodies will be eternally grateful for it.
