Plastic Free July: How PTAs can take part
Image: A woman and a girl digging in a garden.
Bin day
How do you sort out the rubbish after your events? Best practice is to have separate bins for food waste, recyclable materials and unrecyclable materials. If your school doesn’t have separate recycling bins, speak with the headteacher and perhaps even your local council about what can be done to make your community more environmentally-friendly.
Buy in bulk
One of the biggest contributors to plastic waste is packaging. Wherever you can, try and buy in bulk so less is used.
Reuse, repair and repurpose
For events your PTA holds regularly, are there ways you can avoid repurchasing single-use items? For example, you could wash plastic plates instead of using and binning paper plates for barbecues and cake sales. And if items get broken, consider repairing or repurposing them rather than chucking them away, such as sewing up ripped costumes or collecting ice lolly sticks to label the plants growing in the school garden.
Up for grabs
Got some things left over from an event that you no longer need or can’t store? Don’t let it go to waste. Ask parents or your wider local community on Facebook and WhatsApp groups if anyone is interested in taking it off your hands. After all, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure!
Go digital
Whether it’s raffle tickets, prizes or sharing information, there are lots of ways to avoid waste simply by using digital platforms. Make sure your PTA is on social media so you can spread the word!
Nobody’s perfect
As long as you’re thinking about the environment and taking steps towards making a change, you’re having a positive impact. Keep conversations flowing, do as much research as you can and celebrate the wins!
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