Plastic Free July

Tomorrow, of course, is the first day of July.  For the third year running, the Plastic Free Foundation is encouraging folks to try to commit to a Plastic Free July, using as few single-use plastics as possible for the month in an effort to reduce pollution, promote sustainability, and further the conversation around green living.

Last year, several zoos and aquariums joined a EcoChallenge to see who could have the most participants on their teams of staff, volunteers, and zoo friends reducing their plastic usage for the month, and several are competing again.  No matter who wins, though, the real winners will be wildlife.  This is one of the exact sorts of campaigns that zoos and aquariums should champion - it's easy to sit back and talk to our visitors about how ivory poaching in Africa or deforestation in Asia, but if we really want to maximize the difference that we can make, we need to speak to them about lifestyle changes and actions that they can take, not people on the other side of the planet.

I doubt that I'll be able to go 100% single-use free this year.  Honestly, I doubt anyone can.  This month isn't about letting the Perfect be the enemy of the Good, however.  It's about reminding ourselves of all of the actions that we can take to be better stewards of the planet.  I use a reusable water bottle instead of buying bottled water.   I take a cloth bag to the grocery store and pack my sandwich for lunch in a tupperware instead of a sandwich baggie.  I specifically ask for no straw when I go out to eat.  

Saving the planet isn't going to come down to a tiny handful of people doing everything they can.  It's going to take all of us doing something - whatever we can - to be more mindful of our impact on the environment.