Plastic Free: The Inspiring Story of a Global Environmental Movement and Why It Matters

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In July 2011, Rebecca Prince-Ruiz challenged herself to go plastic free for the whole month. Starting with a small group of people in the city of Perth, the Plastic Free July movement has grown into a 250-million strong community across 177 countries, empowering people to reduce single-use plastic consumption & create a cleaner future.

This book explores how one of the world’s leading environmental campaigns took off & shares lessons from its success. From narrating marine-debris research expeditions to tracking what actually happens to our waste to sharing insights from behavioral research, it speaks to the massive scale of the plastic waste problem & how we can tackle it together. Interweaving interviews from participants, activists, & experts, Plastic Free tells the inspiring story of how ordinary people have created change in their homes, communities, workplaces, schools, businesses, & beyond..

It is easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of global environmental problems & wonder what difference our own actions could possibly make. Plastic Free offers hope for the future through the stories of those who have taken on what looked like an insurmountable challenge & succeeded in innovative & practical ways, one step—& one piece of plastic—at a time.

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Rebecca Prince-Ruiz is the founder of Plastic Free July. An experienced environmental management & sustainability professional, she speaks internationally about how to achieve a world without plastic waste.

Joanna Atherfold Finn is an editor & journalist. She is the author of the short story collection Watermark (2018).