We have seen images of beaches covered in trash. We inherently know we need to do something about it, but then you are dying of thirst and grab a bottle water in the nearest shop.
Your take-out dinner has plastic cutlery, but you just use it once in a while, so you don't pause and consider the result it's around the environment.
As it turns out, we ought to all take into account the effects of plastic a little bit more.
Some startling facts may wake us from your convenient plastic slumber: it takes about 1,000 years for a single plastic bag to degrade, not to mention the devastating effects our plastic use has on our oceans and marine life. Another statistic: 100,000 marine animals die every year because of plastic pollution.
Without entering too much detail that will depress us all, let’s check the intense side and know that if each of us makes a small change today, it may possess a considerable impact on tomorrow.
1) Reusable Eco-Friendly Bags
When you go to the grocery make sure to grab your reusable shopping bags.
Turning this into a habit won't reduce the amount of waste you've in your home; it will also help environmental surroundings.
You will be amazed to determine how many items can fit into one of your bags in comparison to how many plastic bags you'd normally use for the same amount.
It will also decrease the amount of time spent unloading the groceries from your car.
2) Reusable Produce Bags
Consider all the plastic bags you wind up using in the produce department.
There several good alternatives: reuse some of your old bags, go without produce bags, or invest in a group of reusable ones.
Zero-waste, as well as your carbon footprint has already been getting smaller.
3) Reusable Water Bottles
Increase your intake of water while cutting down on plastic by using your water bottle. When you make up the habit of keeping your water bottle handy, you'll reconsider investing in a bottle.
With all that water, without wasted plastic, you will look and feel amazing, have saved a little bit of money, and helped the earth's plastic pollution problem. A win-win-win!
4) Travel Coffee Mug
This the first is pretty easy, too, if you regularly purchase coffee on the run. Make sure to bring your travel mug in your daily routine.
Most coffee bars will be happy to fill your cup as it saves them money and cuts down on waste.
5) Stop Your Utilization of Plastic Straws
A straw is one item that really should not be too hard to get rid of out of your life. You don't need one when you are sitting down for any meal at home or in a restaurant.
Straws are convenient when you are traveling, and also you do not want a mess in a car, necessary for those who work in hospitals who may have difficulty drinking and, well, I think there you have it.
Due towards the smallness from the straw, we rarely get them in to the recycling bin, and once they reach the ocean, it wreaks havoc on marine life.
If you must use a straw, consider purchasing a straw made from paper, glass or stainless.
Rethink the small things that come with an enormous effect on our Earth.
6) No Plastic Cutlery
Say no to plastic cutlery.
Hopefully, you won't ever use plastic utensils in your own home, and you're simply so great that you have an additional stainless-steel knife and fork inside your desk drawer in the office.
I realize the majority of us will not travel around with a knife and fork within our purse, but consider how many times it is given to you when you don't need it.
Unless truly needed, ask that they not be put into your bag. If you need to do rely on them, wash and employ them again.
7) Pick Paper over Plastic
This one is easy.
Always choose the disposable paper plates and cups instead of the plastic.
Hopefully, you are only with such for special occasions just like a cook-out or picnic, and do not begin using these regularly in your own home.
We need to save our trees too.
Here are a few alternative ways to shrinking your plastic intake in your own home:
8) Bar of Soap
Consider switching from a shower gel or body wash to some bar of soap.
There are so many soaps on the market to choose from that will make you feel fresh.
Soaps have minimal packaging, usually covered with paper or a box.
Cutting the plastic bottle should cause you to feel just a little cleaner.
9) Shampoo and Conditioner Bars
These minimalist bars carry a powerful punch without
hurting environmental surroundings.
- Most come package free or wrapped in paper.
- These little bars are more concentrated, so you use less, and they last longer than their bottled counterparts.
- Great for travel and TSA approved.
- Reduces the clutter inside your bathroom.
10) Cotton Swabs
If you need to keep cotton swabs available, consider buying the ones without the plastic.
Paper is so much easier to erode.
11) Bamboo Products
Bamboo is of course durable, pest-resistant, therefore, needs no pesticides to develop, and is a regenerating grass that grows considerably faster than trees.
Chemical-free bamboo goods are recyclable due to being naturally biodegradable, so you can toss it within the compost pile once the product is no longer needed.
There is an array of bamboo products available on the market, from hairbrushes and toothbrushes to flooring.
When shopping for the softer side of bamboo, like bed sheets or towels, you may want to double-check to see if the maker uses green practices.
12) Change to the Menstrual Cup
Check out some online reviews if the menstrual cup is the right choice for you. Besides saving a little bit of money each month, you will be contributing to zero waste.
Sound very good? Here are a few other benefits:
- You can wear the cup as much as 12 plus hours without worry.
- No leakage if inserted correctly.
- No string attached, so, no more worries when sporting your bikini.
- No more pads.
- No more period stains.
- Non-toxic.
13) Reusable Travel Containers
If you travel a great deal, consider purchasing reusable travel-sized containers to fill together with your products instead of acquiring the mini versions.
Leave the ones in the accommodation alone and know by not with them, you are reducing waste.
14) Disposable Razors
Once you finish off your current pack of disposables, consider investing in a superior razor.
Only needing to buy razor blades could keep you looking smooth, save a little change, and also you will not be donating just as much plastic to some landfill.
15) Look for Recyclable and Overlook the Disposable
Disposable isn't actually disposable after all. Our trash doesn't magically disappear.
It does have to visit somewhere, therefore we should put forth more effort into producing less of it.
Let's take a look at some everyday items we could probably replace lasting, reusable items.
- Replace disposable plastic pens with fountain pens, or at least the pens where you replace the ink with a cartridge.
- No more disposable lighters. Should you prefer a lighter, buy a swank zippo or antique lighter and grow it with lighting fluid. Looks cool and no more waste.
- Diapers. Choosing cloth over disposable isn't any picnic, but we thank you.
- Balloons and confetti aren't great for environmental surroundings. After some ingenuity, you can develop some fantastic decorations from items available at home without purchasing any new plastic you've got no use for when the party is over.
- When you run out of the plastic bags you have on hand, consider purchasing biodegradable bags for picking up your pet's poo.
16) What's inside your Kitchen?
Walk around your kitchen and take stock of the amount of plastic utilized in your daily routine.
Salad dressings, condiments, cooking oils, spices, and also the list continues. It isn’t impossible to only purchase items with no plastic, but it would be a difficult challenge.
Consider making a few changes in some places, and make certain to recycle all your other plastics. Your extra effort will make a significant impact on environmental surroundings.
Here are a few easy changes to consider:
- If you buy frozen food entrees, rethink the number of you buy. It does not take too long to make a quick meal that'll be healthier and convey less waste.
- When you run out of your window cleaner, upcycle the bottle and pour in water and vinegar for a greener clean.
- There are alternatives to your plastic kitchen garbage bags. Look for recycled kitchen trash bags or compostable trash bags.
- Consider using more glass in your kitchen for leftovers when your old plastic containers begin to need replacing.
- Plastic wrap and bags are undoubtedly hard to give up. Silicone products available on the market look like great alternatives because they are easy to clean and last for years. Some consider silicone as another plastic, so seek out what would perform best for you personally, and please, don’t buy a lot more than you need.
- Avoid non-stick cookware due to the toxic chemicals released when heated. Consider purchasing stainless or cast-iron cookware.
17) Synthetic Clothing – Is not!
Synthetic clothes are a contributor to the plastic pollution problem our world is facing.
With every load of laundry, our clothing is shedding microplastics so small that they eventually understand into the ocean.
While microplastic is toxic to marine life, it will also be toxic to all of us.
Remember the food chain?
While the scientists are looking for solutions to this issue, we can all lend a hand in the decrease in microplastics ruining our waters.
Consider a few of these options:
- Wear non-synthetic clothing like cotton, silk, hemp, and wool. Clothing in these natural fibers will definitely cost a little more, so buy smart and purchase less.
- Don't wash after every wear. The less we launder, the less waste we produce.
- Microfiber washing bags will catch the microplastics to be able to get rid of them within the trash.
18) Green Gifts
Who doesn't love the present of dinner in a favorite restaurant?
Massage or manicure?
How about a membership to your local zoo, botanical gardens, or favorite museum?
Make fun memories for other people together with your gifts this season, unless another synthetic fiber sweater is genuinely what they need.
Plastic pollution is an enormous environmental issue that will only keep growing when we avoid our part to slow down.
Be conscious of how much plastic waste you're producing each day, and consciously try to cut down.
Start small with one change now and give a brand new one next week.
Give in the plastic straw, get the water bottle out, and say no to single-use plastics.
