Plastic Free July Ideas
Stitching a Whale with a Message
The Plastic Free July movement has inspired over 170 million participants in 190 countries. Its goal is to encourage people to reduce single-use plastic by making simple everyday choices. (Plastic Free July). From individuals to workplaces or schools, you can share your plastic free July ideas by taking a pledge to join the global movement. Pledges can be as simple as using a recyclable straw, to more quantified approaches by businesses.
When I go on holiday, I always take note of how things are done differently abroad. Sometimes it’s better than at home, and sometimes it’s worse. Either way, it can help to trigger creative ideas that connect you to nature.
Copyright Knot Waste: Budapest, Hungary - Whale Mural That Inspired A Pattern.
Discovering a Whale in Budapest
Whilst on holiday in Budapest, Hungary I took lots of photos, and one was of a humpback whale mural at Street Food Karavan Budapest. When I was going back through my holiday memories, I realised that the mural was right next to my drink with a single-use plastic straw.
It got me thinking that the mural was there showing appreciation for whales, but how much are they really appreciated if bars are dishing out plastic straws? I was using the straw whilst admiring the mural, despite knowing that single-use straws pollute marine environments. They often cause blockages in whales’ digestive systems leading to starvation and death. (Pacific Whale Org).
Bet that’s riled you up. That’s exactly why I chose that travel photo to become an embroidery pattern. Art can spark conversations about protecting wildlife. Here’s an ignorant person using a straw in a bar whilst gushing over a painting of a whale. Well, the trip was quite a few years ago, so at that point plastic straws were still quite commonplace in bars. I’ve since also bought myself a selection of reusable glass or metal straws. Things change. You live and you learn!
Copyright Knot Waste - Wallasey Beach, Wirral - From Marine Litter Gallery.
Why Plastic Free July Matters
It’s easy to ignorantly walk through life and assume that your little actions won’t really have much impact but collectively they do. One plastic bag wouldn’t wipe out marine life but a million might. Plastic pollution reaches rivers and oceans, meaning marine animals including whales, dolphins, turtles and seabirds can mistake plastic for food or become entangled in it.
That’s why Plastic Free July is such a good idea. It encourages people to reduce unnecessary single-use plastics. That’s a whole bunch of people making positive swaps which makes a bigger impact.
“Over the past seven years, participants have collectively avoided over 15 million tonnes of waste, including 1.7 million tonnes of plastic; a greater impact than the largest cleanup efforts globally” - Plastic Free July.
Every small change helps, and awareness often begins with a single conversation… or even a piece of art.
Copyright Knot Waste: Bilbao, Basque Country - Art in the Guggenheim by El Anatsui, made from discarded liquor bottle caps. Its title 'Rising Sea' serves as a stark metaphor for climate change and the vulnerability of nature and civilisation.
Copyright Knot Waste - Hamburg, Germany: Exhibition Using Plastic Waste at Hamburg Kunsthalle. Part of Art as Nature Connection Gallery.
Turning Travel Inspiration into Nature-Inspired Embroidery
I love reconnecting with nature through creativity. When I travel I like to snap pics of urban nature and street art, then transform my travel memories into embroidery. This process helps me to continue to feel connected to nature once back indoors. For me, slowing down to stitch with its repetitive movements is a meditative process which helps to calm my nervous system.
"Stitching is one of the oldest tools humans have for calming themselves down. Long before anyone called it mindfulness, people sat with thread and needle for exactly the same reason we reach for our phones now… to give the mind somewhere to go." - @thecreativclub.
Not only does the process of stitching help me to feel better, but it also gives me a purpose. It’s a great way for me to share environmental stories that I care about, without preaching at people. For this reason, I kept the straw as part of the finished embroidery design… To spark a conversation and as gentle encouragement to switch from using single-use straws.
If you'd like to discover more about using embroidery to reconnect with nature, explore my guide on Embroidery as Nature Connection.
Copyright Knot Waste: Berlin, Germany: Glass Straw in Humboldt Forum.
Five Easy Ways to Join Plastic Free July
1. Carry A Reusable Water Bottle.
According to Zero Waste Week, ‘One person refilling a reusable bottle prevents an average of 156 single-use plastic bottles from entering landfills and oceans every year’. Plus, they also reckon that you can save more than £150 per year, as it stops you from popping the shop for a plastic bottle of water whilst you’re out and about (Zero Waste Week).
2. Skip Disposable Straws.
There are now many alternatives to plastic straws from paper or bamboo to metal or glass versions. There are also many ongoing debates about which is the best for the environment. In my opinion, any has to be better than single-use plastic.
3. Bring Your Own Shopping Bags.
Not everybody’s partial to a mesh bag where people can judge the lack of fruit that you’ve bought. So it’s great that nowadays there’s a wide choice; from canvas and jute totes for bulkier shops, to those little ones that fold-up and you can pop into your handbag.
4. Choose Refillable Products Where Possible.
With more and more people wanting refillable options, in hand with the changing laws, it’s a growing area. You can now even buy refillable deodorant.
5. Support Artists and Makers Who Celebrate Nature and Sustainability.
It goes without explaining that a purchase from a sustainable brand is a sale away from one that’s polluting the environment.
Copyright Knot Waste: Reykjavik, Iceland - Part of Marine Litter Gallery.
Stitch a Whale with a Story
My whale embroidery pattern isn't just about creating something beautiful, it's about remembering my mindful moment in Budapest, and realising that it’s a stitch with a bigger message.
Copyright Knot Waste: Whale and Plastic Straw Pollution Finished Example.
The Whale and Straw Plastic Pollution embroidery pattern is on the Etsy KnotWasteShop. The instant download is designed for advanced beginners who enjoy mindful creativity.
If you're looking for creative Plastic Free July ideas, perhaps your next stitch can become a small reminder that every action (no matter how small) helps protect the wildlife we share the planet with.