Small steps, big difference.
Join me for a simple challenge this month that just might change you forever
Welcome to a new week!
It’s that time! July is here! Vacation. Travel. Family. Playtime. Outside. Beaches. Lakes. Boats. Rafts. Paddles. Mountains. Trails. Camping. Glamping. Picnics. Festivals. Fairs. Concerts. Are any of these on your calendar this month?
I’ve got one more - a special invitation for you - a simple pledge to carry with you throughout the month of July.
I’m hoping you’ll take me up on it because it just might change how you live in some small way - and when we all do that together it becomes much bigger than just us.
You ready?
Welcome to The LIFT
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THE INVITATION
For the last several years, I have joined millions of people worldwide for Plastic Free July. And, every year, I invite everyone I know to join me. That means - YOU!
Here’s how it works:
You simply pledge to avoid one type of single-use plastic for the entire month of July.
Maybe it’s single-use cups, plastic drink bottles or plastic food wrap. These are the “Top 3” single-use plastic items we commonly use each day that can be easily replaced by:
Refilling reusable water bottles from the tap
Bringing a reusable cup or sitting down to use a real cup rather than to-go cups
Switching from plastic wrap to reusable containers or wax wraps
You can pick just one or you can choose to do all three.
The goal is to challenge yourself a bit. You don’t have to be perfect. Just take the pledge and do your best.
I remember the first year I took the pledge, I thought it would be fairly easy. Just don’t buy that stuff. Find workarounds. But, I was only a few days into the challenge when I found myself on the 4th of July at a picnic with a plastic fork in my mouth. Ugh! That’s when I realized it was going to be harder than I thought.
We all know that plastics are not good for us or the planet. Single-use plastic is among the worst. It’s contributing to waste, impacting our health and threatening our oceans and wildlife. It’s also an area where we can have the biggest impact in reducing its use.
THE PROBLEM
Every piece of plastic that has ever been created still exists in our world.
Plastic pollution poses a significant threat to our environment. Single-use plastic is manufactured to last forever, yet is often used for only a few minutes before being thrown away.
“Think about it. Why would you make something that you’re going to use for a few minutes out of a material that’s basically going to last forever, and you’re just going to throw it away. What’s up with that?” Jeb Berrier, Bag It movie
Waste and plastic pollution
We go through 10 billion plastic bags worldwide every week.
Plastics don’t break down, they break up, becoming a permanent pollutant in our environment.
Health impacts
Microplastics have been reported in food for human consumption. The average person could be eating up to 5 grams of plastic a week.
Microplastics may also be inhaled and have been found in human organs and revealed in the placentas of unborn babies.
Toxic chemicals such as phthalates and BPA are present in the plastic foods packaging.
Threat to oceans and wildlife
8 million tonnes of plastic pollution enters our oceans each year.
It’s estimated that by 2050, there will be more plastic in our oceans than fish.
More than 270 marine species are affected by marine debris through ingestion, entanglement and chemical contamination.
In the next 30 years, 99% of seabirds will have ingested plastic.
Abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) represents a major sea-based source of marine debris in the world’s oceans.
Recycling plastic is not enough
Only 9% of our plastic has been recycled, and only 10% of that has been recycled more than once.
Recycled plastics are mostly downcycled, meaning that they’re recycled into products of lesser quality which are less likely to be further recycled.
Recycling is important, but will never be the solution to our rapidly expanding plastic consumption.
THE PLEDGE
I share all of these facts from the Plastic Free Foundation not to make you feel hopeless, but to serve as a reminder that plastic is a serious problem and that our choices do have an impact.
Plastic is ubiquitous in our world. It is very hard to avoid. But, we can definitely cut back on some of the most wasteful stuff when we give it just a little bit of our attention (and intention).
Over the years, I have been able to improve in several areas. We don’t buy beverages in plastic bottles. We bring our own shopping bags to the store. We use glass to store food. We drink our coffee at home to avoid to-go cups. We try our best to purchase produce that is not wrapped in plastic (always room for improvement there). We use a concentrate for detergent and household cleaning to avoid purchasing plastic bottles.
But, we still have a long way to go. We all do.
So, this month, I am asking you to join me in making a pledge to reduce your use of single-use plastic for the month of July. If you need some ideas, there’s a long list here. But, don’t get overwhelmed and try to do them all. Just pick one.
I think my focus this month will be on the single-use plastic I encounter outside of my home. I do a much better job at home than I do when out and about. That’s only because I am not prepared when outside of my own environment. My goal will be to plan ahead so I don’t find myself ordering a beverage with a plastic lid or buying food wrapped in plastic. I am going to make sure I bring my own silverware when picnicking or on the go. That sort of thing.
If you want to follow along real-time with my successes (and failures), feel free to follow me on Instagram. I can almost assure you that my first potential fail will be tomorrow! Seriously, it never fails that as soon as you pledge to do something, the opportunity to prove yourself appears.
We will see how it goes. Meanwhile, it always feels better to know you’re not alone in trying to do something positive. So, please join me. I promise we will all learn a little something together along the way.
Here we go! Let the fun begin!
YOUR MISSION:
This week, I challenge you to take the pledge. Join me! You don’t have to be perfect. (I can assure you I won’t be.) We just have to try. So, will you? Just click that button to leave a comment saying “Count me in!” I’ll check in with you next week and see how it’s going.
RESOURCES:
GET INVOLVED: Plastic Free July | Resources, Solutions, Assets
READ: Plastic Pollution Facts | Plastic Free Foundation
READ: The Lasting Impact of Environmental Factors on Health | Undark
IN SUMMARY:
Another thing I have learned through the years is that just by declaring to friends and family that I am making this pledge, it always seems to encourage others around me to do the same. There really is a ripple effect. If you join me on this…think about the impact we can have (and so on and so on and so on).
See you next week?
Meanwhile, reach out to me anytime!
Karen Friend Smith
Certified Health Coach & Environmental Health Specialist
Specializing in Perimenopause & Menopause
karen@itmaybemenopause.com
www.itMayBeMenopause.com
Instagram: @itmaybemenopause
❤️