The international event comes to Long Island, NY

Take the challenge: attempt to refuse single-use plastic during July. "Single-use" includes plastic shopping bags, plastic cups, straws, plastic packaging... anything that's intended only to be used once and then discarded. Too daunting? This time, try the TOP 4 challenge (plastic bags, bottles, takeaway coffee cups, & straws).

The rules: Remember, it's not going to be easy! It is a challenge, not a competition so don't worry about being perfect. Collect any unavoidable single-use plastic you buy. Keep in a dilemma bag and share it with us at the end of the challenge. It's up to you how long you participate. You might decide to go plastic-free for a day, a week, a month or longer! However long you choose will still make a contribution.

Why you should participate? Apart from the small amount of plastic which has been incinerated, EVERY piece of plastic ever produced still exists on earth somewhere. In the first 10 years of this century MORE plastic was produced than the entire last century!

Why use something for a few seconds that is going to spend the rest of your lifetime trying to break down in landfill? We must change our habits. Let's start here, let's do it together!