How to Master Plastic Free July for Kenyans

My girlfriends and I recently met up for a late lunch date at one of the new and chic restaurants in Nairobi CBD. We ordered a variety of drinks ranging from smoothies, milkshakes and iced teas and as the norm here in Kenya, the waitress brought them with plastic straws. As a recently converted plastic pollution activist, I quickly asked the waitress to take back my straw and in so doing, I could see the confusion and slight discomfort in her face. I could almost assume what was going on in her mind, and I think the same was going on in mine. "How in the world was I going to down this super thick, cold and tasty berry smoothie?" The same slight panic came up when we couldn't finish our meals and had to have them packed in to-go dishes and I was horridly worried that we would receive plastic containers. When the waitress showed up, the meals were packed in disposable aluminium containers and brown khaki bags. (Kenya for the win on the plastic bag ban!)

As an activist or an environmentally aware citizen, one can spiral into a rabbit hole of self-guilt, criticism and disappointment when you find yourself living up to the hypocrisy of using plastics, especially those that are non-recyclable or single-use. But it is important to be gentle with yourself and those around you and take such experiences as opportunities to be more inquisitive, to research and learn about alternatives, to improve and make better decisions in the future. As Maya Angelou once said, "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better." It is in this spirit that I write this article to share with my friends, community and the world on an amazing opportunity to learn more, to do better and to change the world together. One such way is the Plastic Free July campaign that started in 2011, Australia, with the aim of raising awareness of the growing plastic waste problem and support behaviour change by challenging people to avoid using any single-use (disposable) plastics during the month in the hopes of helping them transition into more sustainable habits beyond July. But it's not just about changing our own behaviour, they want to scale our impact by sharing solutions and being part of a wider movement for change. So here's a few tips and things to remember on how to stay plastic free in Kenya.

You can't make ALL the changes at once, so don't be discouraged.

Lasting change takes time and investment. Most people feel overwhelmed and imagine a life without plastic as being too extreme or too hard for them to take on and so they don't start which beats the purpose. It's also important to remember that you don't have to have the all-or-nothing approach to getting rid of plastic in your life. You should do what makes you feel comfortable but also make an effort to continuously challenge yourself. How much you choose to eliminate is up to you, but it all adds up and makes a huge difference. It also takes an investment in time to do some research and find alternative products or stores and a financial investment because some of the alternatives may be more expensive than your ordinary disposable plastic options for example glass and stainless steel containers. However, these alternatives are in the long run better and cheaper for you and the environment.

Plan your shopping and meals in advance

I often recommend planning your shopping and meals ahead of time as this is one of the quickest and most sustainable ways to make impactful changes in reducing plastic and food waste. For example, I find that when I plan when, where and what to buy, I often end up buying what I need in the right amounts, at a cheaper cost and that I can bring my reusable bags rather than having to buy some at the supermarket. Even if it costs Kshs 10 or 20 for that bag, it still feels silly to buy a bag each and every time you shop. Pro tip: pack as many reusable bags in spaces that you use often such as your bag, car, and work desk or even depending on your folding skills, you can definitely fit one in your wallet. Planning your meals allows you to prepare and pack your to-go meals for your busy day out and about at work or school in reusable dishes and cutlery which results in less plastic waste from restaurants. The added benefit is that you save a lot of money in the long-run, eat healthy meals and who doesn't love to save a coin or two?

Buy in bulk

It is easier, cheaper and better to buy your store-bought products and groceries in bulk either at the supermarket or local farmer’s market. Bulk shopping helps to reduce the amount of packaging waste you consume at a substantial level. In the moment, you may feel like it doesn’t make a difference but I promise you it does. For example, can you imagine buying many small drinking chocolate, cooking oil, coffee or shampoo bottles rather than buying one big bottle that usually costs less and will last longer. Supermarkets such as Carrefour have a bulk section where you can buy items such as candy, cereals and nuts. Although they package in plastic containers, with a little persuasion from clients they can change to environmentally friendly options. However, to avoid all the packaging and costs that come with buying groceries from supermarkets, shopping at local farmer's markets is your best bet. Markets such as Ruiru, Ngara and Parklands have a large variety of fresh, whole and organic vegetables, fruits and cereals where you can come with your own reusable bags or containers and they are often way cheaper than the same products at the supermarket. Pro tip: avoid unnecessary plastics like the mesh that is used to pack veggies separately and put all your produce in one big bag.

Make your own

Some of the products in supermarkets can easily be made at home with a little prior planning and smart shopping which essentially makes it cheaper and healthier for you and your family. For example, a friend of mine taught me how to make the most fabulous cashew butter spread by soaking whole, unroasted cashews in water overnight and then blending or processing them. You can use the same idea to make your own peanut butter and even add in some honey for a wholesome spread. Hummus, garlic and ginger paste, tomato paste, pesto are some of the products that you can make on your own and store in your fridge to make your life easier.

Opt for glass or stainless steel packaging

Glass, stainless steel and other alternatives to lesser quality plastic packaging is usually more expensive to buy but is better for you health-wise and in re-usability. Plastics are known human carcinogenics and make reusing them a little dangerous especially when combining them with hot meals, drinks or in the microwave. The above mentioned alternatives are easier and safer to reuse as storage, lunchboxes and glasses. Pro tip: pick the ones with fully recyclable lids too such as stainless steel.

Say no to single-use straws, cutlery and bottles

Many a times restaurants and cafes offer straws and plastic cutlery to customers and it is up to us as clients to refuse this kind of waste. Think about this; a straw takes less than a minute to manufacture, less than 10 minutes to use and lasts forever. Ask yourself, is worth it? Do you want to be part of the problem or part of the solution? Pro tip: skip the straw and ask the waiter/waitress for an in-house spoon or bring your own reusable steel or bamboo straw. Also, skip the cutlery and bring your own. Stores such as Miniso (although packaged in excess plastic) have very cute reusable and portable cutlery sets. Bring your own flask or water bottle to restaurants and ask them to refill it for you.

Stainless steel straws and a brush for cleaning.

Reuse or Up-cycle what you already own

I'm sure many of us already own a few glass or stainless steel bottles and containers, and if any of you sort your waste, (You deserve a cookie! I highly commend you for being proactive) then you have a special corner for them. Instead of letting them fill up your lovely space and give you a headache. You can reuse them as planters and vases, storage for your produce or jewelry, as lunchboxes, as glasses or water bottles or as cool, unique DIY pieces of decor. Pro tip: you can also up-cycle your packaging into new products that can be reused or sold to make an extra source of income. I shall cover a more in-depth look on how to creatively reuse your packaging in a later post.

Recycle what you already have or what you cannot avoid

Although recycling in Kenya has not been formalized, there are attempts to connect the consumer to the existing recyclers in Kenya. PETCO Kenya, an association formed after the plastic bottle ban failed a few months ago is trying to increase the rate of plastic bottle recycling in Kenya by self enforcing end-producer responsibility. Supermarkets such as Chandarana Foodplus at the Yaya Centre have a PET take-back drop-off location. Initiatives such as this should be more widespread to enable every consumer, no matter how remote they are, to be able to recycle. Pro tip: clean or rinse out and sort your plastic waste before recycling. This makes it easier to recycle. Urge your local supermarket to create a PET drop-off location.

The PET take-back station at Yaya Centre, Hurlingham

Change up your personal care routine

Many of the cosmetic products that we buy contain micro-beads and are made of plastic which wash up into water sources killing marine life, polluting the environment and into our food sources when animals consume them. Many of the actions we take, even if we don't know it, end up hurting us back in one way or another. I recommend switching out these cosmetics with natural home-made ones that are good for everyone including Mother Earth. Some of the products that I can personally attest to are items like rose water for toning the skin, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar to chemically exfoliate; turmeric, cinnamon and baking soda can be used to physically exfoliate, aloe vera juice/gel and honey can be used as moisturizing face masks, olive oil, shea butter and coconut oil are excellent moisturizers. There are many other products and recipes that work well for different things and if you're interested in some of these, please let us know via email at tukogreenmovement@gmail.com or in the comment down below and we shall write up a blog post. There are also plastic free hygiene options such as home-made deodorant, all stainless steel razors, package free shampoos, bulk detergents and soaps. Pro tip: you could inquire from farmer's markets and your local cleaning lady on where you can get organic detergents or make it yourself. For ladies, there are reusable sanitary towels and menstrual cups that enable you to live a plastic free and affordable hygienic life. Companies like AfriPads, Safi Pads make reusable pads whilst The Grace Cup make menstrual cups.

At the end of the day remember to have fun and not to be too hard on yourself. Rally and share this journey with your friends, family or colleagues because it is easier to beat plastic pollution together. Also remember that there are no failures but lessons on how to make better decisions in the future. Share your wins and lessons online and be sure to tag @TukoGreenMovement @PlasticFreeJuly and to use the hashtags #PlasticFreeJuly and #TukoGreenKenya . Comment down below with any questions, tips that you would love to give us or if you love the content!

“There is no such thing as away. When you throw something away, it must go somewhere." Annie Leonard