Plastic Free July is over, but our challenge to you continues: reduce (or even eliminate!) single-use plastics in your life.

Were you able to make some changes? Maybe you’ve decided to start saying no to single-use plastic shopping bags. Or you’ve decided you’re ready to make the switch from single-use sandwich bags to a reusable one. Whatever it is you’ve committed to, great work! We know these changes aren’t easy. But be encouraged knowing they’re worth it. By cutting down on plastic in your life, you’re:

1. Reducing fossil fuel consumption
2. Reducing micro-plastics in our soil and oceans
3. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Resources – There are some excellent resources out there as you continue on your plastic reduction journey. Take the Pesky Plastics Quiz by the Plastic Free Foundation to determine areas in your home where you can work on cutting down plastic use. Looking to learn more about plastics? Greenpeace Canada has a downloadable toolkit. While you’re over there, why not add your name to their petition asking big corporations to Break Free From Plastic?! Locally, Plastic Free Peg offers a list of plastic alternatives, as well as a list of Winnipeg restaurants who have committed to joining the “Straws Upon Request” movement. My Plastic Free Life also has a great list of 100 Steps to a Plastic Free Life.

Advocacy – Don’t forget that your voice is powerful. In fact, we know of two different Winnipeg food trucks who moved from styrofoam packing to compostable packaging because of requests from their customers. It’s worth it to share your sustainability requests with businesses.

And finally, in case you haven’t seen it enough already, here’s our list of 10 ways to reduce single-use plastics in your life:

1. Carry a reusable straw with you
2. Carry a set of reusable cutlery with you
3. Bring your own shopping bag with you to the grocery store
4. Shop at bulk stores using your own refillable container
5. Use a reusable produce bag rather than the plastic ones provided at grocery stores
6. Switch from a plastic toothbrush to a bamboo toothbrush
7. Bring your own reusable mug/water bottle with you
8. DIY! Make your own household products or get your household product containers refilled
9. Start using a shampoo bar rather than a bottle of shampoo (and soap bars rather than body wash)
10. Switch to reusable sandwich bags and beeswax wrap from plastic bags and plastic wrap