Reduce your plastic footprint
Take the challenge
If you haven't taken the Ocean Wise Plastic Challenge yet take a few minutes to complete our easy waste audit for individuals and families
Have you taken the challenge? The first step in addressing your use of unnecessary plastic is to take the Ocean Wise Plastic Challenge. Then you'll be ready to take on solutions that will help you the most!
Here are 12 simple ways for you to make a difference, by thinking ahead, planning things out, and reducing your consumption of unnecessary plastics. Try one challenge a month, or review them all and incorporate them into your daily life. We applaud you for taking the initiative to reduce unnecessary plastic.
- Challenge 1: Bring your own mug
- Challenge 2: Carry your own container
- Challenge 3: Upgrade your drink container
- Challenge 4: Get outside and play
- Challenge 5: Cut the strap
- Challenge 6: Clean a shoreline
- Challenge 7: Reduce lunch plastic
- Challenge 8: Reduce bathroom plastic
- Challenge 9: Step shedding plastic
- Challenge 10: Give green gifts
- Challenge 11: De-plastic your cleaning
- Challenge 12: Opt for sustainable shopping
Challenge 1: Bring your own mug
Approximately 14 billion Cups are used across Canada each year. That is on average 366 nonreusable cups per person. Skip the plastic-lined paper cup and pledge to bring your own mug when it comes to your daily coffee.
Challenge 2: Carry your own container
A study of 4 coastal U.S. cities found that takeout food and drink packaging makes up 67 per cent of our disposable plastic trash. Pledge to reduce your use of unnecessary plastic by carrying a reusable container and cutlery when you order takeout.
Challenge 3: Upgrade your drink container
Around the world, 1.2 million water bottles are sold every minute. Fewer than half of these are recycled and can end up in the ocean. Pledge to change the way you quench your thirst by using a reusable drink container where you go.
Challenge 4: Get outside and play
Half of all plastics produced are used to make items designed to be used once then thrown away. Join in the latest fitness craze of plogging – picking up litter while jogging.
Challenge 5: Cut the strap
Plastic six-pack rings, straps and other single use plastic packaging can entangle, lacerate or suffocate ocean animals. Take the challenge to Cut the Strap by buying your beer in a refillable growler rather than plastic six-pack rings.
Challenge 6: Clean a shoreline
More than an eyesore, shoreline litter poses threats to ocean life. Join in on this challenge to Clean a Shoreline, wherever land meets water.
Challenge 7: Reduce lunch plastic
Why steer clear of unnecessary plastic items when packing a lunch? Because swearing off plastic makes a difference to the health of our ocean and the animals who depend on it.
Challenge 8: Reduce bathroom plastic
Plastic surrounds you in the bathroom, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Shop carefully for your personal care items, reduce their number and the packaging, and reuse containers to cut down on unnecessary plastic.
Challenge 9: Stop shedding plastic
Reduce the plastic shedding in the laundry-room. Synthetic clothing can shed hundreds of millions of fibres per week in the washing machine. By simply washing your clothes on the “gentle” wash cycle, laundering it less frequently, and with liquid detergent, you can lower the shedding of microscopic plastic particles by 70 per cent! Check out the Microfiber shedding report recently completely by the Ocean Wise Plastics Lab.
Challenge 10: Give green gifts
Keep the ocean in mind when giving presents. Green gifting options lighten the load on our waterways and help you spread the word about the problem of plastic litter.
Challenge 11: De-plastic your cleaning
Reduce unnecessary plastic when you buy household cleaning products. Refill and reuse household cleaner containers, or use homemade products stored in containers that are reusable.
Challenge 12: Opt for sustainable shopping
Reduce your plastic use when buying groceries. Plan ahead, buy in bulk, choose plastic free packaging and take your own reusable produce bags for items like fruits and vegetables.