Plastic Free July 2024

Plastic Free July: small steps make a big difference!

From humble beginnings in 2011, Plastic Free July® has become an annual month of global change, where individuals, communities and organisations come together to take action to reduce plastic waste. By sharing ideas, positive actions and stories of change, Plastic Free July helps people “choose to refuse” single-use plastic every day.

Every small step we take to avoid single-use plastic can make a big difference towards: 

• Protecting the ocean  
• Reducing consumption, production and landfill waste  
• Reducing human health impacts  
• Connecting communities for a world without plastic waste

As a Council Member, Ballina Shire Council is actively supporting our community to choose to refuse single-use plastics by:

• Supporting schools to implement campaigns to reduce single use plastics
• Supporting cafes and businesses to offer reusable cups and containers
• Running various workshops and events throughout the year
• Collaborating with Richmond Tweed Regional Libraries to offer reusable party kits for loan to the community
• Prohibiting the use or supply of helium balloons at events on public land and at council owned facilities

The Plastic Free July challenge provides resources and ideas to help participants (millions around the world) reduce single-use plastic waste every day at home, work, school, and in the community. Over the last 5 years, participants have collectively avoided 10 billion kg of waste, that's more than the combined weight of 55,000 blue whales!

Getting started is as easy as choosing one single-use plastic item to avoid or swap for a reusable alternative. Get started with this Action Picker to browse some popular ideas and make your pledge! If you’re not sure where to start, join Council in focusing on swapping out the big 3:

• Take-away coffee cups
• Single-use plastic water bottles
• Plastic food wrap

---

How to get involved (for free!) in six easy steps

1. 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 waste
2. Take the Pesky Plastics Quiz to find what plastics you can change
3. Watch our one-minute animation to get started or browse these popular ideas to reduce
4. Download some posters and to share at work or the local cafe
5. Read inspiring stories of what others do
6. Register for an event, either online or in person, see details below and on our socials

For more information and free resources, head to PlasticFreeJuly.org to get inspiration and support, and to share your tips, ideas and experiences.

---

Activities

Online workshop: Small Steps for Tackling Soft Plastics workshop with Jo Taranto
Tuesday 2 July 2024, 1 - 2pm

Looking for simple swaps and solutions to tackle soft plastics and other common single-use plastics? Join this free webinar full of great ideas and ways to reduce plastic waste during Plastic Free July.

Secure your free tickets here: Small Steps for Tackling Soft Plastics | Humanitix. Presented by Jo Taranto, founder of Good for the Hood and co-host of Channel 10’s Planet Shapers.

---

Children and youth beeswax wrap workshop

To help reduce plastic waste and keep your food fresher longer, our popular beeswax wrap workshops are on again! Beeswax wraps are a sustainable, reusable, mouldable and antimicrobial alternative to clingfilm that smell amazing. They’re a convenient zero-waste option for food storage made by infusing cotton with food-grade beeswax and make a fun and simple DIY activity.

These free workshops are hosted in collaboration with North East Waste and Richmond Tweed Regional Libraries. To book your spot, please phone the relevant library directly:

• Alstonville Library - Wednesday 17 July 2pm. Bookings: Ph 6628 5527 or email alstonville@rtrl.nsw.gov.au
• Ballina Library - Tuesday 16 July 2pm. Bookings: Ph 6686 2831 or email ballina@rtrl.nsw.gov.au
• Lennox Head Library - Wednesday 17 July 10am. Bookings: Ph 6687 6398 or email lennox@rtrl.nsw.gov.au

---

BLUE documentary: Community screening at Lennox Head Cultural Centre

BLUE was directed and produced by the Aussie crew at Northern Pictures, and shot in the waters around Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Hawaii. BLUE tells the ocean’s story through seven Ocean Guardians, every-day people who are passionate about saving the ocean and are doing something about it. BLUE takes us deeper into the critical issues facing our oceans due to pollution, overfishing and other human activities, but moves us to act rather than despair. This confronting, breath-taking and inspiring film is not to be missed. Find out more: Blue The Film.

Secure your FREE tickets here: https://events.humanitix.com/blue-the-film-community-screening-for-plastic-free-july

Date and time: Thursday 25th July from 6:45 to 8:45 pm. Doors open at 6:45 with the film starting at 7. Running time is 75 minutes, but stick around for a short discussion after the viewing.
Location: Lennox Head Cultural Centre