PLASTIC FREE JULY
Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania is asking you to be part of the solution!
Plastic Free July first began in Australia in 2011. In 2017, the campaign's founder Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, with the help of local government and community members, formed a non-profit called The Plastic Free Foundation, which is the official organization that runs Plastic Free July. The Plastic Free Foundation reports that 326 million people worldwide are estimated to have participated in 2020’s Plastic Free July challenge. Let’s do our part to keep that number rising.
Plastic Free July is about being aware of the single-use plastics we use each day and swapping them for better choices and improving recycling practices. These simple actions create positive change that help our communities live more sustainably by avoiding landfill waste and lowering the risk of environmental pollution. 

Some actions you can take might include:
  • Switch from plastic wrap to reusable containers
  • Take a reusable cup when buying coffee
  • Avoid buying prepackaged foods by buying bulk or loose items
  • Refuse plastic straws when dining in public
  • Make sure you’re recycling properly
  • Pick up litter in public places
  • Try to go 100% PLASTIC FREE for the entire month of July!
Become a monthly donor and receive our bamboo utensil kit with glass straws! One more way to support PSR PA and Plastic Free July.
The Vast Majority Of Plastic Cutlery Can’t Be Recycled 
Only 6% of all plastic waste in the US is recycled. The rest ends up in landfills and our oceans.
A few quick statistics…
  • Nearly 300 million tons of plastics waste is produced each year and it is growing at about 9% annually.
  • The United States is the world’s top generator of plastic waste.
  • 1 million marine animals die due to plastic pollution each year.
  • Plastic DOES NOT decompose though it can eventually break down – in approximately 500 years – through photodegradation.
  • About 91% of plastic is not recycled.
Big win for Pennsylvania!

Cities like Philadelphia can now begin implementing a plastic bag ban. When the Republican-controlled legislature passed the recent state budget, it didn’t renew a statewide preemption on single-use plastics, opening the door for cities and municipalities to approve new prohibitions or enforce existing bans. 

Want to start a plastic bag ban in your community? Write to local businesses you support. Find a sample letter here.

Join the global movement and choose to be a part of the solution!
 
Tonyehn Verkitus
Help the Plastic Free Foundation track usage
by taking the Pesky Plastics Quiz Tool!
PSR Pennsylvania www.psrpa.org