Plastic Free July. The Recycling Lie.

Plastic Free July. The Recycling Lie.
By Natalie Pace, the co-creator and executive director of EarthGratitude.org.
 
Recycling is a lie.
 
The first time I heard this – from a waste management professional who handled the trash of one of the cities in the Los Angeles area – I didn’t believe it. I was actually angry (internally) at this person for even saying such an absurd thing. It was inconceivable to me that we would be spending all this time sorting our trash, when less than 5% of plastic is being recycled in the U.S. (less than 9% in the world). Surely, she was fabricating this falsehood.
 
It was only after discovering that the chemicals in plastic and polyester (and so many other oil/gas products) are linked to cancer, obesity, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disfunction, behavioral disorders and infertility that I came to the heart of the matter. It was never a good idea to put petrochemicals all over our bodies, our food, our children’s bums and even in our chewing gum. Once we learn this, we can begin toxifying our lives (also good for the planet). The personal health benefits from getting rid of plastic are so profound and so positive that if we only knew them every single one of us would do it right now. And that leads me to one of my favorite documentaries of 2026 – The Plastic Detox, which, despite the stark title, is actually a tale with a very happy ending.  

The Plastic Detox follows five couples suffering from infertility. Spoiler alert: three out of five got pregnant within a year, simply by eliminating plastic from their lives. Turns out that sperm regenerates every 90 days. The couples also lost weight. So, the impact of limiting our exposure to petrochemicals can be immediate and profound. If you or anyone you know is interested in weight loss or getting pregnant, this documentary is a great place to start.
 
Since recycling isn’t happening and petrochemicals are poisonous, refusing plastic is key. That is why the 3Rs of Sustainability have been replaced with the 7 Rs: Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Repurpose, Repair, Reuse & Rot (compost).  
 

Even if plastic could be recycled more than once – plastic degrades, unlike uniform materials such as glass, paper and aluminum, which retain their integrity – petrochemicals are harmful from their birth in an oil or gas well to their never-ending life as micro- and nanoplastics. A great deal of energy is required to drill and frack, with massive amounts of CO2 and methane pollution released, and severe loss of land, trees, habitat and biodiversity. Methane, which is released in fracking, drilling and storage, is 85 times more destructive than CO2. Those living in Cancer Alley have an alarming tale to share about the toxicity and true cost of our petrochemical addiction.
 
When we think of plastic, it’s a good idea to include the many other petrochemical products in our homes, including polyester and the new “eco” bricks made from “recycled” plastic products. Many vegan cosmetic and fashion products that call themselves green/sustainainable also contain petrochemicals. The process of making plastic bricks releases VOCs, POPs and heavy metals and produces off-gassing, chemical leaching and micro- and nanoplastic contamination. The increased CO2 footprint of using recycled bottles to make toy bricks forced LEGO to abandon the idea. 

* VOC: Volatile organic compound
* POP: Persistent organic pollutants
 
Below are 12 actions to consider taking for Plastic Free July. Did I overlook something? Please let me know; email [email protected]. I encourage you to watch my 2-minute video on Instagram.com/NatalieWynnePace, where I demonstrate some of the ways that I’ve eliminated plastic in my own life, including with bar shampoo and conditioner, tooth tablets, purchasing regenerative organic food directly from farmers, and some of the other excellent innovations that are plastic free.
 
Plastic Free July Tips
1. Watch The Plastic Detox and This is Not a Drill documentaries. Click on the blue-highlighted words to access.
 
2. Buy regenerative, organic, local produce and meat. (Fertilizers are petrochemicals too.) I carry a backpack and reusable containers to the local farmers market and glass jars to the bulk goods store. Learn more about regenerative agriculture in the award-winning documentary Groundswell and in the Earth Gratitude docuseries. Watch the Eco Kids episode at EarthGratitude.org as well. The students of Damers First School in Poundbury, England, lobbied successfully to get their school food delivered without any plastic. Food grown in student gardens can be picked and eaten right from the plant.
 

​3. Check the labels of your clothing. Wear natural fibers. Shelve the polyester. Every time we purchase polyester, we are voting for oil/gas companies. Each wash of polyester fabric leaches micro- and nanoplastics into our soil and water. It’s easy to find organic cotton athletic wear that is competitively priced online.
 
4. Buy in bulk. Purchase our coffee, nuts, grains, and other dry goods at coops and stores where we can bring our own container.
 
5. Bar soap, shampoo and conditioner. They are many great brands that are using premium products. Do you have a favorite?
 
6. Tooth tabs can eliminate the billions of plastic tubes of toothpaste tossed into landfills each year. 18 billion plastic toothpaste tubes are discarded annually – almost a billion in the U.S. alone.
 
7. We love emotional support metal water bottles and reusable coffee mugs. Did you know that Starbucks and many cafés will give you free refills of coffee or tea, if you are using one of their ceramic mugs or glass cups and enjoying your drink “for here” instead of to go? Slow sipping tastes much better and offers the many benefits of socializing with friends.
 
8. Natural fiber shoes. Many brands, including Allbirds and Patagonia, go to great lengths to use natural fibers instead of petrochemicals. Meanwhile, CROCs are primarily made from ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), which is traditionally sourced from petroleum (crude oil). Most athletic sneakers are made from polyester, nylon and rubber – petrochemical products. Let’s support the brands that are giving us healthier, planet-friendly choices. With the heat wave that is happening, the last thing we need is oil/gas petrochems melting onto our feet. (You might ask your favorite AI platform what happens to traditional synthetic shoes versus natural fiber footwear, particularly when temperatures rise.)
 
9. Be very wary of greenwashing. Words such as recycled and vegan can mask the true nature of petrochemical products and toxicity. When we think of all the habitat loss and animals killed in the course of drilling and producing fossil fuel products, we aren’t saving the lives of animals by choosing “vegan” options that are made from chemicals extracted from oil and gas.
 
10. Share this information on social media and with as many friends as you can. The emotional support water bottle transformed us overnight. The success of this initiative offers an excellent example of just how rapidly cultural shifts can occur. Let’s get informed and get rid of plastic now! Please tag @nataliewynnepace and @earth_gratitude so that we can easily like and share what you've eliminated and how it has impacted your life.
 
11. Get educated with reputable organizations like EARTHDAY.ORG. and Ocean Generation, which provide free resources and curriculum on plastic, sustainability and the environment. There is so much misinformation out there. If we’re just relying upon social media campaigns and email ads for our information, we can be more easily bamboozled. Multi-billion-dollar oil and gas companies, including ExxonMobil, which is the largest virgin plastic producer in the world, spend a great deal of money on campaigns and initiatives. You might have seen an ad about mushrooms that eat plastic. How many microplastic-filled mushrooms do we really want, when the planet is currently suffering from plastic pollution deluge to the magnitude of 400 million tons of plastic each year, with up to half of that already circulating in the ocean?
 
12. Give up chewing gum. It is made of plastic! Do you really want all those chemicals
swilling around in your mouth?
 
Bottom Line
Plastic is not cheaper. It may cost us our children their lives if we keep buying into greenwashing and the misinformation.
 
On a personal note, after watching oil spill into the Gulf of Mexico between April 20 and July 15, 2010, I felt disgusted every time I filled up my car with gasoline. I was keenly aware that the oil companies were drilling in the Gulf of Mexico to put gas in my tank. My hands had oil all over them.

​I am now proud to say that I don’t own a car. My primary modes of transportation are biking, walking, e-scooters, public transportation and trains. It didn’t happen overnight because car culture runs deep, especially in California. However, I now enjoy thousands of dollars in annual savings and greater health from exercising more. The average person spends $12,000 annually or more on each car, considering the car loan, insurance, gasoline, maintenance, parking, registration, etc.
 
After personally seeing Cancer Alley in Louisiana and so many “fence line” communities, where fossil fuel companies are polluting the air, water, soil and lives of people living there, it’s quite impossible to want to support anything made with plastic. It’s never “cheaper.” I encourage everyone to learn more about this so that we can be a part of the solution for climate injustice, in addition to rewilding our world back to clean, green, wondrous, healthy and biodiverse. Vote for trees, clean air, and renewable materials that are found wild in nature and that support and enhance life. Take all the steps necessary to stop voting with our consumer and investment dollars for plastic, polyester, plastic bricks and all the ways that the oil/gas industry has inundated our lives. (I help individuals green their wealth plans, too. Email [email protected] for additional information.)
 
Our planet has endured the extinction of many species, and it will surely outlive the Anthropocene. The real question is, “Will we choose to live in greater harmony with the natural world, which nourishes and sustains us, so that we save ourselves?”
 
Wetland restoration could aid in reducing the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico, and make communities more resilient to hurricanes and flooding, while promoting biodiversity. Planting trees creates shade and sanctuaries for wildlife. Reforestation and regenerative agriculture are powerful mechanisms for drawing down CO2.
 
While single-use plastic persists, the recycling lie circulates, petrochemical fertilizers turn living soil into dirt, and greenwashing misinforms, oil and gas companies will keep expanding to bring us the products and gasoline that we are voting for with our dollars and choices. When the consumer votes for life, everything can change overnight – just as it did with the emotional support reusable water canteen.

Si se puede. Oui, c'est possible. 是的，這可以做到。Ja, das lässt sich machen.はい、可能です。Yes, we can do it.

​

###

Are you aware that the hot funds we've been featuring in our sample pie charts and retreats performed at the top of Wall Street in 2025? Clean energy scored 44%... 

Why not treat yourself to the gift of financial freedom and a green wealth plan?
​
Register now to join us at our online Financial Freedom Retreat Oct. 10-12 2026 where you'll learn how to protect your wealth, save thousands annually in your budget, invest in hot industries like AI, gold, crypto and more, and how to be in the best seat during our volatile Debt World. Register by July 31 to receive the best price. (Ask for access to a recording of our Wealth Secrets of the 1% or our Real Estate masterclass as our gift to you.) Email [email protected] to learn more and register now.

If you'd like a life-changing adventure of a lifetime, be our guest at a royal manor house in Cornwall, England, March 4-11, 2027. (With just three rooms still available, this exclusive, private, bucket-list is almost sold out!) Call 310-430-2397 or email [email protected] to learn more. The 2025 Restormel Retreat was a magical and royal experience. Click to learn more. 

Request testimonials at [email protected]. You can also view some on the flyer page of the retreat. 

Learn how to:

* Invest in hot industries, such as Nvidia, artificial intelligence, and chips,
* Save thousands annually with smarter big-ticket choices
* Hedge against a weaker dollar,
* Invest and compound your gains,
* Green your retirement plan,
* Easy and efficacious nest egg strategies,
* Get hot and diversified (including in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and crypto),
* Evaluate stocks,
* Avoid capital gains and financial predators,
* Keep an age-appropriate amount safe, and,
* Know what's safe in a Debt World.

Yes, it's a complete money makeover. 
​​
Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more and register. Learn the 15+ things you'll master and read testimonials in the flyer on the home page at NataliePace.com. ​

"Ten minutes into the first day I was already much smarter about investing than I ever thought I would be in my life and I knew I was in exactly the right place at this retreat. I am amazed at how EASY and FUN it is to make my money work for me and those I love. I think this kind of information should be compulsory in schools. I wish I'd learned this sooner." CM
​​
"Many people, including educated men and women, often get into trouble when they 
neglect to follow simple and fundamental rules of the type provided [by Natalie]. 
This is why I recommend them with enthusiasm." 
Professor Gary S. Becker. Dr. Becker won the 1992 Nobel Prize in economics for his theories on human capital

"College students need this information before they get their first credit card. Young adults need it before they buy their first home. Empty nesters can use the information to downsize to a sustainable lifestyle, before they get into trouble." 
Joe Moglia, former Chairman & CEO, TD AMERITRADE.


If you’d like an unbiased 2nd opinion on your current wealth plan, email [email protected] for pricing and information.
​

Email [email protected] for pricing, additional information and to register. Register by July 31, 2026 to receive the best price.

Join us for our Restormel Royal Immersive Adventure Retreat. Spring Equinox 2027. Email [email protected] to learn more. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details. Register now to receive two 12-month all-access passes to our online training and four private, prosperity coaching sessions. There are only 3 rooms available. Considering the perks, you're receiving a 65% discount to learn the life math that we all should have received in high school, and the room is free! Email [email protected] to learn more. Yes, it's a great idea to register and start transforming our lives now with the online ABCs of money courses.

David Wilson, the Home Farm manager of H.M. King Charles III educating me on regenerative agriculture.

Natalie Wynne Pace is an Advocate for Sustainability Financial Literacy & Women's Empowerment. Natalie is the bestselling author of The ABCs of Money (6th edition) and The Power of 8 Billion: It's Up to Us, and is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude Project. She has been ranked as a No. 1 stock picker, above over 835 A-list pundits, by an independent tracking agency (TipsTraders). Her book The ABCs of Money remained at or near the #1 Investing Basics e-book on Amazon for over 3 years (in its vertical), with over 120,000 downloads and a mean 5-star ranking. The 6th edition of The ABCs of Money and the 2nd edition of The ABCs of Money for College are the most recent releases of these books. Follow her on Instagram. 
​​​​
Natalie Pace's easy as a pie chart nest egg strategies earned gains in the last two recessions and have outperformed the bull markets in between. That is why her Investor Educational Retreats, books and private coaching are enthusiastically recommended by Nobel Prize winning economist Gary S. Becker, TD AMERITRADE chairman Joe Moglia, Kay Koplovitz and many Main Street investors who have transformed their lives using her Thrive Budget and investing strategies. Click to view a video testimonial from Nilo Bolden.​​

---

Check out Natalie Pace's Substack podcast and watch videoconferences and webinars on Youtube.

Other Blogs of Interest
The Higher the Dividend, the Higher the Risk.
Wall Street has a Serious Gambling Problem. Margin Trading Hits an All-Time High.
Spring Equinox & Father's Day Sweepstakes
Warren Buffett Investing Tips and that Deepfake Video.
The SpaceX IPO. Are You Buying High?
Capture Gains at an All-Time High. Rebalance.
Whirlpool Suspends Dividend. Share Price Sinks. 
Why I Prefer Select Corporate Bonds to Treasuries. 
When Superstars Burn Out. 
Should You Just Own an S&P 500 Fund? 
Gold, Silver and Crypto. Are the Safe Havens Sinking? 
Hot Countries.
Oil Prices Soar. Stocks Sink. 
15 Rules of the Rich.
The Venus Fly Trap of High-Yield and Private Credit Funds. 
AI Says There is a 70% Chance of a Correction in 2026. Learn why.
Investors Sell Magnificent 7 for Chevron and Caterpillar. (Is this a good idea?)
6 Rules to Earn Tens of Thousands with Low Risk. 
2026 Investor IQ Test.
Answers to the 2026 Investor IQ Test.
Finding Harmony: A King's Vision. Half a Century of Sustainability Leadership.
Silver and Gold's Very Bad Day. 
Why are Mortgage Rates so High?
The War Over Warner Bros.
Is an EV Winter Coming?
Copper and Peru are Hot, Hot, Hot.
2026 Rebalancing IQ Test.
Answers to the 2026 Rebalancing IQ Test. 
2026 Crystal Ball. 
Is the AI Bubble About to Pop?
A+ 2025 Performance Report Card with Bragging Rights. 
Are We Headed for Another Crypto Winter?
Will the World Cup Save the Travel Industry?
Save Thousands Annually on Health Insurance and Medical Care. 
2026 Bonds and Fixed Income Without Paper Losses Strategy.
Magnificent 7 Update. On Fire. Expensive. 
Crypto. Copper. Silver. Gold. More Magnificent than the Magnificent 7. 
Stablecoins. Should You Invest? 
Clean Energy. Solar Generation is On Fire. 
HHS Cuts MRNA Research. Weight Loss Drugs Soar.
Are You Paying Thousands to Lose Money?
Crypto Goes Mainstream. The Genius Act Becomes Law.
Wealth Hacks: Are You Getting Killed in Capital Gains Taxes? 
Our Super Performing Hots and Value Replacements.
Is Your Income Strategy Losing Money?
Gold and Silver Soar. 
Get Safe & Hot in 1 Easy Plan. 
Home Prices Soften. Is Your City Next?
Tesla Vision vs. Waymo LiDAR and Air Taxis. Are Any of Them Safe?
Archer Aviation is Chosen to be the Exclusive Air Taxi Service for the 2028 L.A. Olympics. Company of the Year?
Utilities: In the Eye of the Natural Disaster Storms. 
Aging Mom Doesn't Want to Discuss Dilapidated House. Investors Ask Natalie.
Tesla, Tariffs, Chinese Competition and Price Wars.  
Health Savings Accounts. Save Thousands. Get a Tax Credit. Provide for Tomorrow's Healthcare Needs.
Restormel Manor House 2025. A Truly Royal and Magical Adventure. 
9 Ways to Cut Your Tax Bill in Half and Save Thousands Annually.
Should I Have a Money Manager?
10 Rules of Successful Investing. 
Indonesia: Rich in Nickel with Ambitions of Becoming an EV Battery Hub.
RoboTaxis. AI. The Magnificent 7. 
Canadian, Australian and U.S. Banks. Are Any of Them Safe?
Ireland. Rich in Technology, Biotechnology and Agribusiness. 
9 Money Secrets of the Ultra Wealthy.
Housing & Budgeting Solutions.
Fast Fashion. Fossil Fuels. Plastic Clothing. Atacama Desert Waste Dumps. 
Fintechs and Brokerages that Fail are Not FDIC-Insured.
Housing. Unaffordable. What Works? Case studies and creative solutions. 
The Underperforming DJIA, Full of Fossil Fuels and Forever Chemicals.
13 Lifestyle Choices to Reduce Waste, Pollution & CO2 & Save a Boatload of Dough.
11-Point Green Checklist for Schools.
10 Wealth Secrets of Billionaires and Royals.
Fiat. Crypto. Gold. BRICS. Real Estate. Alternative Investments.
BRICS Currency. Will the Dollar Become Extinct?
Is Your FDIC-Insured Cash Really Safe? 
Money Market Funds, FDIC, SIPC: Are Any of Them Safe? 


Important Disclaimers
Please note: Natalie Pace does not act or operate like a broker. She reports on financial news, and is one of the most trusted sources of financial literacy, education and forensic analysis in the world. Natalie Pace educates and informs individual investors to give investors a competitive edge in their personal decision-making. Any publicly-traded companies, funds or projects mentioned by Natalie Pace are not intended to be buy or sell recommendations.

ALWAYS do your research and consult an experienced, reputable financial professional before buying or selling any security, and consider your long-term goals and strategies. Investors should NOT be all in on any asset class or individual stocks. Your retirement plan should reflect an age-appropriate, diversified wealth plan, which has been designed strategically, with the assistance of financial professionals who are familiar with your goals, risk tolerance, tax needs and more. The "trading" portion of your portfolio should be a very small part of your investment strategy, and the amount of money you invest into individual companies should never be greater than your experience, wisdom, knowledge, patience and diversified strategy.  
​
Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, NataliePace.com does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Opinions constitute our judgment as of the date of this publication and are subject to change without notice. This material is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument.