Thriving Sustainably

Plastic Free July 2026: 174 Million People Can’t Be Wrong

Most people have heard of Plastic Free July. Far fewer know that it’s now the largest plastic-avoidance campaign on the planet. In 2025, 174 million people across 190 countries took part, cutting 290,000 tonnes of plastic in a single month.

This July, you don’t need to go zero waste to make it count. Start with the basics: skip plastic bags, water bottles, straws, and disposable coffee cups. Pick one. Then see what sticks.

Young woman at an outdoor park event holding a hand-painted "Say No to Plastic" cardboard sign for Plastic Free July, with reusable cloth bags and stainless steel straws on the table
The Swap Finder

Find your plastic-free

Tell us what you want to replace and we’ll show you vetted swaps that reduce your plastic footprint. No greenwashing, no guesswork.

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Melissa Walker, founder of Thriving Sustainably

Hi, I’m Melissa-founder of Thriving Sustainably

Melissa Walker is the founder of Thriving Sustainably. A mom who started reading the labels after learning how much microplastic ends up in our bodies, she co-leads the environmental pillar of a Fortune 500 company’s employee sustainability program and rates brands against public certification databases so families can lower their microplastic exposure without the guesswork.