NEW YORK STATE — Plastic Free July® is a global movement that helps people cut down on the use of single-use plastics.

“When we lead by example and reduce single-use plastics and other single-use items in our lives,” noted the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in its Solid Waste & Recycling newsletter, “we can collectively create a tidal wave of change that ripples across the globe.”

The movement, according to the newsletter, has inspired 100+ million participants in 190 countries to start making small changes that will last a lifetime.

How to participate in Plastic Free July

Take the Plastic Free July Challenge. How will you make a change? At work, home, school or elsewhere?

Take the Pesky Plastics quiz 

Contribute to data collection about the types of single-use plastics being used, where single-use plastics commonly show up, and learn how you can measure your success in reducing single-use plastics. Participants can anonymously report what single-use plastics they currently use, and in August, participants will report on where they were able to reduce single-use plastics. 

Review tips and ideas about where you can make changes

Get inspired or inspire others to get involved with plastic waste solutions by creating your own event at work, school, or out in the community, the newsletter stated.

Check out resources to learn more about PFJ and help promote PFJ in your community

Think of ways to reduce all single-use items in your life by refusing or choosing to reuse.

Planning to take the PFJ challenge? E-mail us at Recycling@dec.ny.gov and tell us how you plan to participate in Plastic Free July through stories, photos and videos.