The city where plastic bags can land you in jail

…and four other outrageous plastic facts!

Everywhere we look we can see plastic, it’s cheapness and convenience has helped it carve a place in our lives. Here are some plastic facts to inspire you to #storesustainably during Plastic Free July. From plastic bags, to plastic containers and plastic wrap, there’s a plastic-free option that will help you love Mama Earth!

In Kenya, you can be sent to jail for four years for producing, selling or even just using a single-use plastic bag! The other option is a fine of $55,000AUD – that’s one way to ban the bag. We have it easy in Australia and New Zealand, but with over 1 million plastic bags consumed every minute around the world, it’s important to refuse every bag we can.

Make sure you have your reusable bags at the ready, including produce and bulk bin bags! We love Fruity Sacks and Eco Saint NZ. Members, shop them using your points here.

http://www.fruitysacks.com/

https://www.ecosaint.co.nz/

9 out of 10 Australians use plastic wrap at home.

When plastic wrap ends up in the ocean, it picks up bacteria and harmful metals as it goes. This makes it even more toxic to fish – when the plastic is eaten, it’s a double whammy for our fish friends.

Let’s buck the trend, skip the plastic wrap and choose reusable beeswax wraps like Beeutiful Wraps, all the convenience and no nasties! These beeswax wraps will keep your food fresh and they’re reusable, biodegradable and made from all natural materials. Members, shop them here.

https://beeutiful.com.au/

We’re busy! We love food delivery and on-the-go meals, but what’s the cost of this convenience?

68 million online takeaway food orders are made every year in Australia.

Many of these meals come in disposable plastic food containers, contributing to

900 000 tonnes of plastic packaging produced by Australia alone every year.

Nowadays, there are growing numbers of cafes, restaurants, bakeries and more where you can BYO takeaway container, like one of these steel containers by Beeutiful or Meals in Steel! Trashless Takeaway has a list of places in Australia where you can do this. And of course you can use your reusable containers to pack your lunch or snacks when you’re on the run!

Now you’ve got all the tools to #storesustainably (and some pretty great party trivia). Time to get out there and embrace the plastic free life!

Sustainable Salons provides the most comprehensive resource recovery for the professional hairdressing, pet grooming and beauty industries. We collect and recycle 95% of a salon’s resources and reward the salon for their recycling efforts! Contact us here if you’d like to become a member of Sustainable Salons.