WHAT’S ON – JULY 2025

Plastic Free July

This July, The Plastic Free Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation committed to ending global plastic waste, is encouraging people to avoid single-use cups, plastic drink bottles and plastic food wrap in a collective effort to combat plastic pollution.

“The significance of preventing waste before it enters our ecosystem cannot be stressed enough”, says the campaign’s founder, Rebecca Prince-Ruiz. “Simply choose one item to pledge to avoid during July and give it a try.”

You can sign up for the challenge on the Plastic Free July website.

Alcohol Awareness Week (July 7-13)

Our thinking about drinking, as a society, is wonky. Drinking is not inevitable. Or compulsory. We don’t need a doctor’s note to excuse us from swan-diving into wine”, writes Catherine Gray in The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober.

The theme for Alcohol Awareness Week 2025 is Alcohol & Work.

“It’s time for alcohol to stop playing such a centre-stage role in our lives and in our society. We don’t need to be surrounded by alcohol marketing everywhere we go”, says Alcohol Change UK, the force behind this annual campaign.

The message is upbeat: alcohol harm is not inevitable and change is possible. There’s more info, plus details of support, on the Alcohol Change UK website.

> Ditch the Hangover: Is it time to examine the cultural and commercial forces that shape our drinking?
> Women & Wine: Kate Muir explores the science and how changing our drinking habits can bring new joy.

The Big Butterfly Count (July 18 – August 10)

This nationwide citizen science survey, run by Butterfly Conservation, was launched in 2010 and has become the world’s biggest survey of butterflies.

Butterflies are sensitive indicators of the health of our environment, so tracking their numbers is important, not just for butterflies but for the wider environment and biodiversity in general.

After the 2024 Big Butterfly Count results revealed the lowest numbers on record, Butterfly Conservation has announced a butterfly emergency. Now more than ever, your help is needed to record butterfly and moth numbers.

Find out how to take part on the Big Butterfly Count website.

National Marine Week (July 26 – August 10)

Coastal walks, rockpool safaris and beach cleans are some of the events planned for The Wildlife Trusts’ nationwide celebration of marine life and environments.

The charity’s website provides details of all upcoming events and includes a guide to reducing plastic use, with tips like choosing bars of soap instead of liquid soap in plastic bottles.

Lead picture credit: Lee Jeffs on Unsplash