Join Friends, Transition San Juan Island, Plastic Free Salish Sea, San Juan County (who officially proclaimed July to be plastic-free in the San Juans), and other communities world-wide in reducing your plastic waste in July! Plastic Free July® is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets and oceans and beautiful communities.
Whether it’s committing to bringing your own coffee cup to your favorite cafe, saying no thanks to a plastic straw and plastic bag, or stepping it up and committing to plastic-free purchasing during the month of July – everything makes a difference!
To do our part, Friends is piloting our reusable dish lending program in July for our members. Having a BBQ or other gathering soon? Want to reduce the amount of waste you send to the landfill? We’ve got a set of reusable plates and utensils for 30 people at our office in Friday Harbor. Get in touch with Katie here for more info.
If you want to learn more about where our San Juan County garbage ends up and about waste reduction solutions in the islands, join a virtual conversation with Ela and Linnea, recent graduates from Spring Street International School, on July 1 at 6:30 p.m. They conducted in-depth research as part of their Environmental Systems class, and at this event they will chronicle their waste and recycling journey on the three biggest of the San Juan Islands. You’ll also have a chance to ask your burning questions about waste and waste reduction. Register here.
The Transition San Juan Island waste reduction team will also be at the San Juan Island Farmer’s Market on July 10th with reusable bag giveaways (thanks to Kings Market and Friday Harbor Market Place) and plastic-free inspiration!
Speaking of inspiration – have you heard of the new ReMakery on Lopez Island? It’s an awesome new program by the Lopez Solid Waste Disposal District with a goal to educate the community about the value of repair, reuse, and repurposing of materials locally to seed and grow a circular economy and reduce the amount of materials shipped off island to far away recycle centers or landfills.
You can find more ideas and toolkits for reducing plastic at home, work, schools and community events by visiting the Plastic Free Salish Sea website. It’s also a great time to adopt a beach for regular clean-ups through Plastic Free Salish Sea!
Make sure you tag your waste reduction actions and ideas on social media in July with #sjcplasticfreejuly to help inspire others. Contact Katie to engage in this effort further as an individual, business, or organization.
Thank you for your support! Here’s to a plastic free July!
Plastic Free Salish Sea sign pictured above made from plastic found on San Juan County beaches by the Orcas Island Youth Conservation Corps.
