Plastic-Free July Week 1: Assess Your Plastic Footprint
Thank you for participating in Plastic-Free July 2024! Over the next month, we’ll be sharing information that we hope helps you find new ways to reduce plastic consumption and support a greener, more equitable and inclusive future.
The most effective way to reduce plastic waste is to not create it in the first place. The first step in meaningfully reducing your reliance on plastic and building plastic-avoidant habits? Understanding your own plastic consumption. This week, we’re sharing tips for how you can assess your daily plastic use and its environmental impact to learn where you can start making small steps for a big difference.
Beginner Challenge: Plastic Waste Awareness
Watch one or more of these short videos about plastic pollution with a few team members or your department and have a discussion about how you can use less plastic day to day.
Expert Challenge: Track Your Plastic – “Where’s Waldo..?”
Take a survey of plastic products in shared spaces such as your office kitchenette or your home. Join your colleagues or family members in a short exercise to take stock of the things around you to recognize how much plastic you use at work and at home every day.
Make it a game to see who can identify the most opportunities to substitute a plastic product with a non-plastic alternative! How can you use this information to make your next on-campus team gathering a zero-waste meeting?
Weekly tips for plastic-free, day-to-day living
Swap one plastic item at a time for a gradual change leading to a bigger impact
The easiest place to start reducing your plastic waste is at home. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, begin by swapping one plastic item at a time for a refillable or reusable alternative. These small steps will add up to make a significant difference over time.
Not all plastics are equal: Need help? Ask the Wizard!
If a plastic item is essential and there is no suitable alternative, first consider whether it can be reused or repurposed before recycling.
Not all plastics are easily recycled and some may not be accepted into some recycling streams. Take advantage of TMU’s online Waste Wizard to put waste in its proper place!
Encourage and Inspire: reflect and share your insights
Share your findings with the TMU community. Highlight any unexpected discoveries, actions taken or lessons learned by sharing your experiences through conversations, social media posts and tagging us (@TMUsustainability), or by emailing us directly at sustainability@torontomu.ca. It could be shared in a roundup email at the end of the challenge.
Your contributions can inspire others across campus to embark on their Plastic-Free July journey!
#PlasticFreeJuly