Get ready for Plastic Free July — the eco-challenge you've probably never heard of

Plastic Free July, an eco-challenge started in 2011 by Australian activist Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, encourages reducing single-use plastic consumption. Environmental groups in L.A. and Orange counties, such as Heal the Bay and Surfrider Foundation, promote the initiative, highlighting microplastics' health risks and offering actionable steps like avoiding plastic straws.