Movie Night

Rangers, gather ’round! Plastic-Free July is here. This is the month where we ask people to work extra hard to cut back on using single-use plastics (SUPs).

Plastic is everywhere: packaging, toys, medical supplies, wrappers… and most of it is made just to be thrown away! Even though we can recycle some kinds of plastic, most of it usually gets tossed. Scientists say that almost 9 million tonnes of plastic waste end up in the ocean each year! That’s enough to wrap around the world nearly 30 times.

All of this plastic stays in the environment for a really long time because it can’t fully break down. That makes it very harmful for animals and the planet.

We know it can be tricky to switch away from SUPs, so we’ve come up with a way to help the environment AND have fun doing it! How about a movie night to kick off the month? Here are some tips on how to make your movie night plastic-free!

First things first: SNACKS!

Snacks are the best part of getting together and watching a movie, after all! Grab a few containers or reusable produce bags and head on over to your local bulk food store. When you get there, make sure to get your containers weighed, then you’re good to go! You’ll find tubs and tubs of your favourite movie snacks. Now you just have to try and pick your favourites!

Next: DRINKS!

If you’re in the mood for some fun drinks, your local bulk food store might sell drink mixes. If not, you can check out the freezer aisle at your grocery store for frozen juice concentrate! Unlike drinks that come in SUPs or non-recyclable packaging, these ones are made of cardboard and metal. Super easy to recycle!

Coming up third: ADDING SOME PIZZAZZ

Depending on the type of movie night you’re having, you might want to add some decorations! Think twice about using balloons. That’s right! They’re also a type of single-use plastic. Instead, stick to paper decorations, like streamers!

Last but not least: THE MOVIE

What to watch, what to watch…pick your favourite streaming service and get watching! Ok, a DVD case isn’t a single-use plastic, but the plastic it comes wrapped in is! Plus, streaming cuts back your plastic consumption now that you don’t need those big ol’ DVD cases.