At Davids, we're all about sustaining nature+you. That’s why we prioritize zero waste toothpaste formulas, sustainable packaging, and intentional processes that keep plastic waste to an absolute minimum. In honor of Plastic Free July, we're highlighting some of our favorite ways to be part of the solution in the fight against plastic pollution.

Are you up for the challenge?

what is Plastic Free July?

Plastic Free July is one of the largest, most impactful environmental movements in the world. Since its founding in 2011 by Rebecca Prince-Ruiz and a small local government team in Western Australia, Plastic Free July has reached millions of people all over the world....and made a huge impact in the fight against plastic pollution along the way.

It’s estimated that Plastic Free July have participants have:

• Reduced annual household waste by 3.5% per person
• Saved 2 billion tons of waste, including over 650 million pounds of plastic (over the years)
• Integrated their new low-waste habits into their lives beyond July

11 years later, the initiative has reduced the global demand for plastics, including lowering the use of plastic water bottles by 2.3%, fruit + vegetable packaging by 3.1%, and plastic straws by 4%. This measurable progress is proof that there’s power in numbers, and even just a month-long collective effort to reduce our plastic consumption can go a long way.

how can you be part of the solution?

Plastic Free July outlines attainable goals and ideas to help you reduce your plastic consumption so that your efforts in July can easily transform into real lifestyle habits. Check out this link to see some of their ideas....from bringing your own reusable coffee cup to getting crafty with your trash bag liners. In addition to their tips, we’re sharing some of our favorite ways to participate in Plastic Free July while keeping the bigger picture in mind.

practice mindfulness

We live in a world surrounded by plastics. From meats sealed in plastic packaging to plastic toothbrushes, we come in contact with so many plastics that we may not even realize because we’re just so used to them.

The daily grind of life often forces us into this place of living on “autopilot,” where we go through the motions of our day not thinking twice about what we’re doing or why we’re doing it.

This is where mindfulness comes in: it’s an amazing practice that directly challenges this “autopilot” mode of moving through life. Mindfulness is a conscious, intentional practice centered around grounding you in the present moment.

In other words, mindfulness invoices you to pause, take a deep breath, come into your body, and take the time to truly exist and absorb the present moment. By doing this, you become more aware of your actions, challenging “autopilot” mode so you can make more conscious decisions.

Think of your morning routine as an example. Maybe you wake up, brush your teeth, do your skincare routine, and make your bed. You’re so used to moving through the motions of your routine that you may not stop to think about how many products in that routine (your toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, face wash, moisturizer, etc.) come in plastic bottles. By practicing mindfulness, you can really make a mental note of each action. For example:

• How does your toothbrush feel moving against your teeth and gums? Do you know what the bristles are made of and how they’re made?
• How does the toothpaste tube feel when you squeeze it? Is it made from plastic, or is it a recyclable toothpaste tube?
• How does your face wash feel when you lather it on your skin? When you press the pump? Is the pump plastic?

And so on. Practicing mindfulness throughout your day can help you take inventory of just how much plastic you’re interacting with on a daily basis....which brings us to our next tip for Plastic Free July.

take inventory + identify easy swaps

As you move through your day, it can be helpful to take inventory of plastics. One easy way to do this is to take inventory by room. How many plastics are you coming into contact with in the bathroom, the kitchen, your bedroom, your office (home or public), or the coffee shop? Think of all the places you go most days, and this will help you begin to estimate how many plastics you’re encountering through your regular routine.

Below, we’ve outlined a few common “easy swaps” to get you started on this activity.

Bedroom + Bathroom

• conventional deodorant → deodorant that comes in paper packaging
• conventional shampoo & conditioner → plastic free shampoo & conditioner bars
• plastic toothpaste tube → Davids recyclable toothpaste tube
• toothpaste tubes with plastic caps → Davids zero waste toothpaste option (explained below)
• plastic toothbrush → Davids premium soft bamboo toothbrush

Kitchen 

• plastic resealable bags → Stasher bags or glass containers
• plastic water bottle → reusable stainless steel or glass bottles
• plastic trash bags → paper bags

Office

• hand lotion in plastics → lotion that comes in a glass jar
• virgin plastic pens → pens made from recycled plastic

See what others you can identify throughout your day!

register for the Plastic Free July challenge

When you officially register for the Plastic Free July challenge, you’ll receive tips and tricks to keep you motivated throughout the month. It can also help you truly feel like a part of the larger global movement to stray away from plastics. Community support is always important when it comes to taking on a new challenge!

what we’re doing at Davids

From day one, we’ve always been focused on reducing our plastic waste (and overall environmental footprint) throughout our entire supply chain at Davids. From domestic sourcing and production (which helps us minimize our shipping waste and emissions) to bottling (or should we say tubing?) our zero waste toothpaste in aluminum, we always prioritize plastic-free processes.

• recyclable toothpaste tube: our recyclable toothpaste tubes are made from aluminum, one of the most infinitely recyclable materials on the planet! Did you know that of all the aluminum ever produced in the US, nearly 75% is still in circulation? By switching to Davids, you can avoid contributing to the 1.5 billion plastic toothpaste tubes that make their way to landfills every single year.
• zero waste toothpaste: when checking out on our website, you can enter ***REMOVE CAP*** on the second line of the address field to have a completely plastic free toothpaste option.
• sustainable toothpaste packaging: our toothpaste is always delivered in FSC-certified sustainable packaging, meaning the paperboard comes from responsibly managed forests and does not contribute to deforestation. Not to mention, it’s not plastic!
• bamboo toothbrush: to avoid contributing to the 1 billion plastic toothbrushes that end up in landfills every year, make the switch to our premium bamboo toothbrush. The bamboo handle is 100% compostable and the bristles are soft, high-performance, and BPA-free.
• stainless steel tongue scraper: to effectively clean your tongue and reduce the need for a mouthwash that comes packaged in plastic, we recommend adding a medical-grade stainless steel tongue scraper to your routine. It can help you prevent bad breath, reduce bacteria, and improve your overall oral health without any plastic in sight!

We hope our line of premium, natural, and plastic-free oral care products gives you a daily dose of inspiration to minimize plastic throughout your life, one swap at a time. Happy Plastic Free July!

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