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 and create a cleaner future.

This book explores how one of the world’s leading environmental campaigns took off and 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 and how we can tackle it together. Interweaving interviews from participants, activists, and experts, Plastic Free tells the inspiring story of how ordinary people have created change in their homes, communities, workplaces, schools, businesses, and beyond.

It is easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of global environmental problems and 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 and succeeded in innovative and practical ways, one step—and one piece of plastic—at a time.

"Passionate call to action. ['Plastic Free' is] a comprehensive guidebook to anti-plastic activism. Sage advice for reducing plastic consumption, a necessity for our survival. Our verdict: Get it." - Kirkus

"Motivating. 'Plastic Free July' founder [Rebecca] Prince-Ruiz tells the story of how she started an environmental movement and offers solutions for decreasing waste in this accessible account. Readers eager to reduce their plastic consumption would do well to pick up this excellent primer." - Publishers Weekly

"Plastic Free is the remarkable story of how a social media post from an isolated corner of Western Australia grew into a global network of 250m activists. The 'accidental campaign' has since grown into an influential environmental movement." - Foreword Reviews

"This is an inspiring and easy read for anyone questioning their plastic use. It provides comprehensive background information for educators and would make a welcome addition to a high school library." - Green Teacher