Plastic Free: The Inspiring Story of a Global Environmental Movement and Why It Matters

“Plastic Free July” founder Prince-Ruiz tells the story of how she started an environmental movement and offers solutions for decreasing waste in this accessible account. In 2011, a visit to an Australian recycling facility left her “overwhelmed and frankly mortified” at the amount of trash she saw. She decided to go plastic-free for a month, a challenge she invited colleagues and friends to take up as well. With time and the help of social media, the challenge became a global movement that, Prince-Ruiz writes, has reached over 250 million people. Prince-Ruiz also provides an introduction to basic environmentalist concepts (the effects of ocean debris) and as she recounts her personal story, intersperses easy tips for those looking to lessen their reliance on plastics, such as replacing single-use plastic bags and straws. Though none of the advice is new, the earnestness with which Prince-Ruiz conveys it is motivating (“One day I want to walk along the shoreline at my local beach and look down at shells and seaweed, and not be expecting to find plastic”). Readers eager to reduce their plastic consumption would do well to pick up this excellent primer. (Dec.)