Plastic Free July
Plastic Free July® helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution. This helps to ensure we can have cleaner streets, oceans and beautiful communities by choosing to refuse single-use plastics. Last year more than 140 million people globally participated, reducing their waste by 2.6 million tonnes - that’s the equivalent of around 13,000 blue whales.
The Plastic Free July challenge provides resources and ideas to help participants (and millions of others around the world) reduce single-use plastic waste every day at home, work, school and in the community.
How to make a difference this Plastic Free July
Below are some tips and tricks on how you can make a difference:
- choose unpackaged meat, fish and deli items
- use BYO shopping bags
- choose and use reusable drink bottles
- choose loose produce
- avoid using disposable coffee cups
- pick up and avoid litter
- store food in reusable containers
- avoid using plastic wrap
It's a great idea to join a group to take the challenge together. This could be the start of a life-changing experience for you, your family, your colleagues or your local school.
Get started with this Action Picker to browse some popular ideas and make your pledge!
How to get involved in Plastic Free July
- Register for the challenge. Participants receive weekly tips to help them to keep motivated and enjoy stories from others around the world who are reducing plastic in their lives.
- Sign up for one of Maroondah Council’s free events or workshops.
- Ask us for posters for your workplace, school or local businesses or download posters
- Get some free Plastic Free July resources for your school.
- Read inspiring stories of what others do
- View our Plastic Free July - 31 days of tips calendar(JPG, 866KB)
The Plastic Free July website is a great place to get inspiration and support and to share your tips, ideas, and experiences.
School competition
To celebrate Plastic Free July, Council will be running a Plastic Free July competition for schools within Maroondah.
Apply online
To enter, apply online between Thursday 1 June and Monday 31 July, with the details of how your school have made the pledge to go Plastic Free this July.
You can find inspiration on the Plastic Free July website for schools, or follow some of our ideas below.
How to get your school involved
- conduct a waste audit and share the results at a school assembly
- host a nude food day or bring you own drink bottle to school day
- create posters to display around the school
- talk about Plastic Free July at a school assembly
- create an art project using recycled material
- creative writing or report writing on plastic
- library display
- share a simple recipe or activity in your school newsletter, such as make your own beeswax wrap.
Prizes
The prize is a choice between an education session in term three or a selection of books related to waste and sustainability.
Winners will be selected at random on Tuesday 1 August 2023. Entries need to be emailed to waste.education@maroondah.vic.gov.au or submitted using the above apply online button.
View the competition terms and conditions:
Plastic Free July schools - Terms and Conditions(DOCX, 27KB)
Waste education newsletter
Council hosts a range of community waste and recycling workshops within the municipality each year.
Sign up to our waste event newsletter below to find out about free upcoming seminars, workshops, competitions, and events as well as information on educational presentations for schools and community groups.
Sign up to our Waste Education newsletter