With #PlasticFreeJuly coming to an end, it’s time to step back and think about why this month exists in the first place. It is the one month of the year entirely dedicated to breaking free from plastics. While it’s a great initiative, it’s also a reminder that we need to break free from our addiction to plastic – forever.

We didn’t necessarily choose to be so dependent on plastics, but plastics are everywhere. From the toothpaste tube we use in the morning to the clothes we wear, the coffee you grab on the go, the pre-wrapped produce at the local grocery store and much more, plastics are embedded in our daily lives. It’s convenient, cheap and way too easily accessible.

But we’re here now, with the cold realization of knowing the price this throw-away plastics culture comes with—polluted oceans and waterways, dead wildlife and piles upon piles of plastic waste for years to come.

Thanks for the guilt trip, where do I sign up?

Breaking free from plastics is certainly not easy. For many of us, avoiding plastics in our daily lives is difficult.

But that’s why #PlasticFreeJuly is the perfect time to start your plastic-free journey. Challenge yourself and see how much single-use plastic you can avoid for a few days, then weeks and even months. You’ll be surprised about how much useless plastics you can do without.

The Plastics Diaries is a great place to start to find all the quick facts on plastic pollution, tips on how to go plastic-free and where you can draw inspiration from others who have already started their plastic-free journey.

Check it out today! Whether it’s #PlasticFreeJuly or not, it’s never too late to rethink your relationship with plastics and break free.