September 16 is World Cleanup Day. Millions of people around the world will spend the day picking up litter, clearing beaches, and tackling rivers. It's powerful. It matters.
But here's the honest truth: the plastic you pick up on cleanup day didn't appear overnight. It came from choices made over months, maybe years. The shopping bag someone used once. The wipes flushed down a drain. The plastic film around a pack of toilet roll.
So yes, go to a cleanup if you can. But the real work? That happens every day, in the smallest of ways. Here are seven small actions you can start today, most of which take less than five minutes, that compound into real, measurable impact.
1. Ditch plastic-wrapped toilet paper
The action: Switch to toilet paper that comes in cardboard boxes, with no plastic wrap.
Why it matters: A household of four uses many rolls, and packs, per year. If each one comes wrapped in plastic, that's a lot of plastic, and chances are at least some of it will end up in landfill, where it won't break down for centuries.
How to do it: Check the packaging. Look for cardboard boxes with no plastic film wrap. Many supermarket own-brands now do this, as well as specialist brands.
Easy options: Most supermarkets have a plastic-free option, and Cheeky Panda can be ordered to be delivered to your door.
2. Carry a reusable water bottle and coffee cup
The action: Buy one reusable bottle and one travel mug, and use them consistently.
Why it matters: Single-use plastic bottles are ubiquitous. One person using a reusable bottle for a year eliminates 365+ plastic bottles from the waste stream. Many coffee shops offer a small discount if you bring your own cup, so it can even pay for itself!
How to do it: Pick a bottle and mug you actually like and will use every day, as a bottle you hate living in your car doesn't help anyone. Keep them in the same place so it's an easy habit, not a chore.
3. Choose tissues in plastic-free packaging
The action: Buy tissues in cardboard boxes with no plastic film window.
Why it matters: Almost every tissue box and travel tissue pack has a plastic film window over the opening. That window can't be recycled curbside and often ends up in landfill. While it might seem like a small thing, if millions of people are doing the same thing, it ends up being quite a lot of unnecessary plastic!
How to do it: Check the box for no plastic film window, and what travel tissues are wrapped in.
Options: Cheeky Panda's bamboo tissues come in fully cardboard packaging. Some supermarket own-brands also offer this now. Cheeky Panda’s travel tissues are also wrapped in paper instead of plastic film.
4. Refuse single-use items if you don’t need them
The action: Say no to plastic straws, plastic cutlery, plastic bags, plastic lids, napkins etc. you don't need.
Why it matters: Every single-use item you refuse is one less piece in the waste stream. It also signals to shops and restaurants that customers don't want plastic and single-use options, and when demand drops, supply follows.
How to do it: It feels awkward the first time. "No straw, thanks." "Could I get a paper bag instead?" "I've brought my own container." It gets easier, I promise.
No cost: This one is free and takes seconds.
5. Shop with reusable bags
The action: Bring bags to every shop.
Why it matters: A reusable bag avoids accumulating more bags for life than you realistically need. This will in turn reduce how many are produced and discarded over time.
How to do it: Keep cloth bags in your car or by your front door. Make it a habit to grab them before you leave the house.
6. Make small swaps in laundry and cleaning
The action: Buy laundry bars or sheets and refillable cleaning products instead of large, disposable plastic bottles.
Why it matters: A typical household goes through multiple bottles of laundry liquid and cleaning products per year. Each bottle is single-use plastic. Bars and refills cut that waste dramatically and often cost less.
How to do it: Try a laundry bar or laundry sheets first (they're easy, last ages, take up less space). If you prefer liquid, look for a refill pouch instead of a new bottle.
7. Pick up litter on your regular walk or commute
The action: Carry a small bag and make it a habit to pick up five pieces of litter on your regular route.
Why it matters: It's visible, immediate action. You're directly removing plastic from the environment. It also makes you more aware of where waste comes from, which often leads to making better choices yourself.
How to do it: Keep a small bag in your jacket pocket or car. Pick up what you see on your route home, your walk, or your commute.
Cost: Nothing. Just awareness.
The bigger picture
None of these actions is revolutionary on its own. A different toilet paper roll. A reusable bag. Refilling when possible.
But here's what matters: they're all choices you can make today. And when you make one, you're more likely to make another. When you do, someone else notices. Behaviour spreads. Markets respond.
That's how environmental change actually works. Not through guilt or sacrifice, but through small, repeatable choices that feel manageable. And that compound over time.
So yes, participate in World Cleanup Day on September 16 if you can. Pick up litter. Raise awareness. It matters.
But the real work? That's the small stuff you do on September 15, and September 17, and every day in between.
