July marks the start of Plastic Free Month and according to statistics from the British Plastics Federation only 45 per cent of all plastics in the UK are being recycled. There are so many small things you can do to make all the difference. From the clingfilm in your kitchen cupboard and the food packaging in your recycling bin, there are simple swaps you can make to reduce your use of single-use plastics.

In the home

• Swap bottled shampoo for shampoo soap bars

The bio-degradable packaging can come in all kinds of prints and can give a colourful pop to your space. You can now find these readily available in lots of supermarkets, so shopping around isn’t necessary! There are also lots of local specialist shops offering a wide range of bars for every hair type.

• Avoid disinfectant wipes

This can be both a frugal and eco-friendly approach. Switching these out for a towel, rag or cloth along with some ethical, plastic free cleaning solution can reduce your contribution to plastic landfill.

• Switch clingfilm for a product made by the bees! (well, partly)

You can now get your hands on beeswax wraps to keep your delectable dishes fresh and tasty. You can easily find these on the web, or if you have time you can make your very own! I recommend following this step-by-step guide from the Natural History Museum www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-to-make-beeswax-wraps.html

• Choose loose vegetables, pulses and fruits over packaged.

I like to do this by visiting my local market. I take my cotton tote bag and forage the fantastic range of colourful and inviting produce. I find it’s always interesting to see what unusual (but seasonal) offerings there are.

In the garden

Chances are, if you’re heading on an exciting excursion to your local garden centre, that you’ll come across saplings in plastic pots. Whilst some are recyclable, many sadly aren’t. But there are lots of great ways to reuse them, you can paint them in bright colours and add hanging tags to hang them as a display - get crafty and cut your plastic footprint on the journey to zhuzh up your wildlife haven!

• Buy seeds to grow yourself and plant them in recycled pots, or simple hand-made newspaper pots

Follow this how to guide from the Royal Horticulture Society on how to make your very own: https://schoolgardening.rhs.org.uk/resources/sequence-card/how-to-make-newspaper-pots

• Plant swapping

Have fun getting together with friends, perusing each other’s gardens whilst indulging swapping your cuttings and saplings. You can also ask your neighbours and browse local free sites.

• Re-use wooden ice lolly sticks to label your fabulous flora

Enjoy a yummy treat, give the stick a second life before composting once they’ve outlived their usefulness.

• Invest in a compost bin or making your own

This can help to cut down on single-use plastic by reducing the need to buy bagged compost. Staffordshire County Council even have a discount offer on to help you get started, just head to their partner page here.

Remember to look for peat free if you do buy any compost! If you’re up for an up-cycling project and have a few hours free, you can even make a plastic free recycling bin entirely out of old pallets! Head to this page for a handy guide: https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/diy/how-to-build-a-compost-bin/

Reducing plastic waste is just one of the ways you can help wildlife. If you want to find out some of the others head to our dedicated webpage for more actions for nature you can take today!