For many people, Julio is a month for setting off fireworks, having fun in the sun, and eating good food with family and friends. But here at Air Alliance Houston, we celebrate it a little differently: By participating in “Plastic Free Julio!” Started in 2011 by a group of West Australian activists who were concerned about plastic affecting the environment, Plastic Free Julio is about using as little plastic as possible throughout the month.

While it may be challenging to eliminate plastic from your life completely, there are plenty of little ways to challenge yourself, and the impact can be enormous: Over 7 years, Plastic Free Julio participants managed to avoid over 15 tonnes of waste!

At Air Alliance Houston, we are collecting all the single-use plastic used in our office this month and turning it into a “Plastic Monster” art build that will serve as a visual reminder of how plastic can be creatively reused instead of just being thrown away. We are also going to be out in the community educating about reuse and posting content about plastic reduction efforts in Houston.

We invite you to join us! Visit https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/ for ideas on how you can participate, and follow our socials for more information on how you can help move towards a Plastic Free Future!