Go Plastic-Free This July!

July 1, 2019 11:39 AM
by Andrew Basmajian

Did you know that “Single-Use” was the 2018 Word of the Year for the Collins English Dictionary?

There is no doubt that single-use plastics stirred-up some interest and helped move the conversation about plastics last year.  It is certainly the case in Santa Monica.  In fact, July marks the start of the enforcement period for the Disposable Food Ware Ordinance – now your take-out food should be plastic free from here on out.  But this ordinance is just the beginning, from reports of a straw in a sea turtle’s nose to tons of plastic ending up in the ocean, it demands that we search for ways to re-think each piece of plastic. 

More and more, we are seeing the effects of single-use plastic, items that are useful for seconds, take up to hundreds of years to degrade. 

With an understanding that our daily choices can have a lasting impact on our environment, we want to challenge Santa Monica throughout the month of July to eliminate their single-use plastic.  There are a number of ways to go single-use plastic-free for the first time or to improve upon established behavior.

Plastic Free Foundation has created a helpful checklist to identify what behaviors are feasible for your lifestyle and what might have the biggest impact. See the Plastic Free July checklist and take the pledge here!

Be sure to follow us at @sustainableSM for tips and tricks to reduce your plastic footprint. Feel free to tag #choosetoreuseSM to show us how you are going plastic-free this July. 

Authored By

Andrew Basmajian
Sustainable Outreach Coordinator