Yahoo Life’s editors are committed to independently selecting wonderful products at great prices for you. We may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change.
Plastic Free July is a global movement that encourages millions of people around the world to help combat plastic pollution by refusing single-use plastics.
We produce 400 million tonnes of plastic waste globally every year, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.
The worst part? Nearly half of that is single-use plastic and a staggering 91% of the world’s plastic still isn’t recycled. Instead, it ends up in landfill, being burnt, littering our streets or polluting our oceans.
Watch: Millions of People Around the World Join Plastic Free July
Use a refillable water bottle. According to Earthday.org, there are 20,000 plastic bottles used every second. That's more than a million bottles every minute being added to landfills around the world.
Grab a reusable tote. Every year, we use five trillion plastic bags. That’s 160,000 a second. We can do better than that.
Read more: Road-test: ‘I tried M&S period pants and they really work’
Swap traditional pads and tampons for reusable alternatives. Sanitary products are the fifth most common item found on Europe’s beaches. In fact, the Women’s Environmental Network estimates that there are around nine plastic applicators and 23 sanitary pads for every kilometre of a beach in the UK.
Try a toothpaste tablet. If you haven’t already heard of toothpaste tablets, welcome! They’re just as effective as regular toothpaste – you just need to chew them and add a wet toothbrush.
Ditch disposable razors. Safety razors are much more environmentally friendly than cartridge or disposable models. Their handles are often made of metals that last a lifetime and the double-edged blades they use are made solely from sharpened metals.
Don’t forget your coffee cup. Just one takeaway drink per day creates over 10kg of waste each year. If you haven’t already, now’s the time to invest in a reusable coffee cup.
Swap cling film for wax wraps. Beeswax wraps are flexible and self-sealing and let your food breathe. Even better, they’re also reusable and completely biodegradable.
Choose solids over liquids. Solid products like shampoo bars and bar soap last approximately two-five times longer than their liquid equivalents. Plus, they’re so much easier to travel with.
Use a bamboo toothbrush. Bamboo is a natural plant and fully biodegradable. It’s also one of the fastest growing plants on the planet, so we don’t need to worry about running out any time soon.
Make sure your floss is plastic-free. Traditional dental floss can be a sneaky source of plastic waste, and on top of that, is usually packaged in a hard plastic container. Instead, opt for biodegradable floss that can be composted.
Read more: How to shop sustainably
Switch to refillables. There are some products we simply can’t cut out of our lives. Everyday items like hand wash, cleaning products, shampoo and conditioner are a few examples of essential products that are usually packaged in plastic containers and then thrown away after a single use. Switch to refillable products instead.
Bring your own cutlery. Summer weather means it’s officially picnic season. Avoid using single-use cutlery and instead, bring your own.
Check your bathroom loo. On top of the paper waste, most store-bought toilet paper is wrapped in unnecessary amounts of plastic packaging. If you buy it in bulk packages, it's sometimes wrapped in plastic twice. There are sustainable alternatives for that.
Skip straws. If you don’t need a straw, ask your server not to give you one when you place your order at the bar. And if you really love them, invest in reusable ones made from bamboo or stainless steel.
Cut down on sponges and paper towels. It’s not just the liquids you’re using to clean with that are a problem – chances are that your cleaning cupboard is home to at least one plastic-fibre cloth, scouring pad or scrubbing brush.
Read more: Earth Day 2022: 7 ways to reduce your carbon 'foodprint' to save the planet
Grab a dryer ball. Dryer balls are a great alternative to single-use dryer sheets in a tumble dryer, as they last for multiple uses and are free from nasty chemicals and synthetics. Usually made from tightly compressed wool, they reduce drying time and help prevent laundry from clumping together by tumbling between layers and separating fabric.
Say no to cotton buds. It’s estimated that in the UK alone we use 1.8 million cotton buds every year. Not only are cotton crops one of the thirstiest crops to grow, but most of the cotton swabs have a plastic stem. Instead, use a reusable bamboo and silicone bud as they negate the need for either plastic or cotton – and they’re great for make-up application, too.
Buy loose fruit and veg. Does fruit and vegetable packaging really serve any purpose? Instead of buying pre-packaged goods, check out your local farmers market for loose produce (and don’t forget your reusable bag).
Try reusable nappies. This one’s not for everyone, but if you want to limit your waste and reduce the plastic you use, then you could try switching from single-use nappies to reusable.
Shop: Bambino Mio Reusable Nappy Set | £75 (Was £83.99) from JoJo Maman Bebe
Drink loose tea. It might surprise you to learn that most tea bags – especially the fancy 'silken' ones – are made from plastic. And for those of us who drink a daily cuppa (or more) – that adds up. One of the best ways to avoid your tea being steeped with a side of microplastics is to simply sip loose leaf tea.
STORY: Biden announced the Federal Emergency Management Agency will provide $2.3 billion in funding to help states build cooling centers to deal with excessive heat and to tackle other impacts of climate change.The steps include providing more funding for a program that helps local communities expand flood control, shore up utilities, and retrofit buildings, as well as another that helps low-income families pay for heating and cooling costs, according to a White House official.“The more the better," said Joellen L. Russell, professor of Geosciences, Planetary Science, Hydrology & Atmospheric Science at the University of Arizona. "But I also worry a little bit that we're putting a lot of emphasis on what we call adaptation. Basically just getting used to being able to handle the very high heat, the very large floods, the coastal inundation, you know, our incredible droughts out here in the west and the wildfires and the emissions,”Russell says she is more interested in mitigation efforts but considers the announcement by Biden a step in the right direction.
He also revealed which fandom was the most inclusive.
Tens of thousands of cosplaying fans will converge on San Diego Thursday for the first full-scale Comic-Con in three years, with new "Lord of the Rings" and "Game of Thrones" TV series set to be unveiled at the world's most famous pop culture gathering.
The world's longest-living male giant panda under human care, An An, has died at the age of 35, the Hong Kong zoo where he spent most of his life said Thursday.
MUMBAI (Reuters) -Lawmakers chose India's first president from the country's tribal communities on Thursday, which could boost the appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party among marginalised groups ahead of the 2024 general election. Droupadi Murmu, a 64-year-old teacher turned politician, will be the second woman to hold the largely ceremonial role as head of the republic when she takes office on July 25 at the start of a five-year term. More than 4,500 state and federal lawmakers voted in the presidential election on Monday and ballots were counted on Thursday.
Paper Rex defeated OpTic Gaming to become the first team in the grand finals of VALORANT Masters Copenhagen.
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko Thursday said Russia, Ukraine and the West must agree to halt the Ukraine conflict to avoid the "abyss of nuclear war" and insisted Kyiv should accept Moscow's demands.
35-year-old An An lived for an equivalent of 105 years of human age at Hong Kong’s Ocean Park
Japan will hold a state funeral for assassinated former prime minister Shinzo Abe on September 27, the government announced Friday, with foreign leaders expected to attend.
Disciplinary action, including financial penalties, will be taken against the two navy servicemen who had posed as student volunteers to solicit donations from HDB residents.
American Airlines reported a profitable second quarter Thursday as the ebbing of the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in record revenues despite the hit from higher fuel costs.
While her election bodes well for tribal representation, analysts say there will be little impact on the federal government’s ‘anti-indigenous policies’
At least 13 people have been killed in fighting that flared overnight between armed groups in Tripoli, emergency services said Friday, the latest violence to hit the Libyan capital in months of rising political tensions.
Pi Jiapeng and Pansuk Siriwipa are among 10 wanted individuals in Singapore who have been issued Interpol red notices.
Russia on Thursday restored critical gas supplies to Europe through Germany via the Nord Stream pipeline after 10 days of maintenance, but uncertainty lingered over whether the Kremlin would still trigger an energy crisis on the continent this winter.
Facebook has removed the accounts of at least two state-owned media outlets in Afghanistan, the company confirmed Thursday, saying it was complying with laws in the United States listing the Taliban as a "terrorist organisation".
Sri Lanka's six-time prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was set to be sworn in as president Thursday, with officials saying he would set up an all-party unity cabinet to confront the country's economic crisis.
Gunawardena was made home minister in April by former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Mr Sherpa’s climbing record involves scaling 14 mountains higher than 8,000m twice
US planemaker Boeing triumphed this week as it scooped up more orders than its European rival Airbus at the first Farnborough Airshow since aviation was ravaged by Covid.