Plastic-Free July: Protecting Nature One Choice at a Time

I want to share an interesting movement I recently discovered called Plastic Free July, which is all about protecting our environment by reducing plastic pollution. Plastic waste is one of the biggest threats to our ecosystems, harming wildlife, waterways, and even the food we eat. This global initiative has inspired over 140 million people in 190 countries to take action—whether at home, school, or work—by cutting down on single-use plastics and adopting more sustainable habits. The movement offers different levels of participation: from going entirely plastic-free for the month to focusing on just one habit you’d like to change.

There are so many simple ways to cut back on plastic. For example, you can dust off that reusable mug or bring your own bags to the grocery store—something many of us are trying to make a habit. But here are a few ideas that might be new to you:

  • Upgrade your reusable game: Try reusable produce bags or beeswax wraps for food storage.
  • Say goodbye to bottled water: Tap water in most cities is just as safe, far more eco-friendly, and costs up to 200 times less.
  • Visit farmers’ markets: Bring your own bags. The Brickworks has a fantastic organic market on Saturdays, where food vendors use Muuse’s reusable dishware and utensils.
  • Choose natural fibers: Avoid synthetic materials and look for cotton, wool, or linen clothing instead.
  • Buy in bulk: Stores like Bulk Barn offer Sustainable Sundays, giving you 15% off when you bring reusable containers.
  • Refuse single-use items: Say no to disposable cutlery, straws, and individually packaged items.
  • Grow your own food: Even a small garden can reduce packaging waste.
  • Shop secondhand: Thrift shops are great for clothing, costumes, or sports gear.
  • Make your own cleaners: DIY cleaning products cut down on plastic packaging and harsh chemicals.

It’s also inspiring to see local organizations stepping up to fight plastic pollution:

  • PortsToronto’s Trash Trapping Program partners with the U of T Trash Team to remove plastic waste from Toronto Harbour. Since 2019, they’ve collected hundreds of thousands of pieces using WasteShark drones and Seabins that catch trash before it reaches Lake Ontario.
  • Don’t Mess with the Don hosts weekly Paddle & Protect cleanups at Cherry Beach, where volunteers kayak while collecting plastic waste.
  • Ocean Wise and TRCA team up for an annual Toronto waterfront cleanup, usually held in April.
  • There is a beach clean-up and plastics education event at Hanlans’ Point this coming Saturday June 14, put together by Friends of Hanlans.

We all know reducing plastic waste is essential, and while it can feel overwhelming, small steps add up. Whether you take on the Plastic Free July challenge, try a new habit, or volunteer for a local cleanup, there are so many ways to make a difference.

Pete S

Toronto Field Naturalists wishes to acknowledge this Land through which we walk. For thousands of years, the Land has been shared by the Wendat, the Haudenosaunee, and the Anishinaabe. Toronto is situated on the Land within the Toronto Purchase, Treaty 13, the traditional and treaty Lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. This territory is also part of the Dish with One Spoon Wampum, a covenant agreement between Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Wendat peoples and allied nations to peaceably share the land and all its resources. Today, the Land is home to peoples of numerous nations. We are all grateful to have the opportunity to continue to care for and share the beauty of this Land.