Plastic pollution has been in the news a lot lately, and it seems like we’re all trying to reduce plastic waste.
Unfortunately, many of us aren’t doing as much as we should reduce our plastic waste—and that’s putting it mildly, in some cases!
It isn’t hard to reduce your plastic consumption if you know how, so here are eight easy ways to reduce your plastic use today.
1) Stop using single-use plastics
2) Use less packaging
3) Carry reusable shopping bags
4) Cut down on bottled water
5) Give up gum, mints, and candies
6) Put pressure on manufacturers
7) Bring your own garment bag to the dry cleaner
8) Hire a Waste Removal Service
1) Stop using single-use plastics
It’s difficult to imagine a world without plastics, but we have to.
Plastic pollution is turning up in every corner of the globe, and it’s been estimated that our oceans will have more pounds of plastics than fish by 2050 if we don’t do something about it which will be very harmful not only for wildlife but also for human life.
The good news is that reducing your reliance on single-use plastics can help us avoid this scenario.
Here are five tips for you.
1) Bring reusable bags when shopping instead of using plastic bags;
2) Use reusable bottles instead of buying water in disposable bottles;
3) Reuse water bottles or bring a refillable container when purchasing coffee or soda;
4) Switch to bar soap instead of using liquid soap from plastic containers;
5) Buy in bulk, which reduces the amount of packaging that gets thrown out.
2) Use less packaging
One of the easiest and most impactful things you can do to reduce your plastic footprint is to use less packaging.
It’s hard not to notice the amount of excess packaging we’re surrounded by in grocery stores, retail stores, and especially with takeout food.
You might feel like no matter what you do, it’s unavoidable. But there are actually some pretty simple things you can do at home or on the go that will help minimize the number of plastics you use on a daily basis.
Start by thinking about how often you buy groceries and how much time it takes for them to rot in your fridge before they get eaten.
For example, if you go shopping once a week and purchase 12 items, then one item will only have an average lifespan of three days!
If instead you purchase enough produce for five days worth of meals, each individual item will last for five days—a total lifespan increase from three days to fifteen!
And if instead of buying packaged products (or getting them delivered) when you need something, then all those items would last longer too.
These small changes may seem insignificant but over time they make an enormous difference. Especially considering that Americans generate more than 30 million tons of trash every year!
3) Carry reusable shopping bags
Carrying reusable shopping bags is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to cut down on your plastic footprint.
Keep them in the car or in your purse and you’ll always have them when you need them.
When grocery shopping, choose items that are packaged in paper instead of plastic. Don’t let those recyclable plastics end up in the landfill– if they’re clean, wash and reuse them!
Rinse out yogurt containers and use them for storing leftovers; it’s perfect for an individual serving of yogurt.
Plastic water bottles? Use old wine bottles (cleaned out) to make homemade lemonade.
If you do buy a new water bottle, consider investing in an eco-friendly water bottle with replaceable parts like Brita. That has a filter inside that makes tap water taste great without polluting the environment with excess waste.
4) Cut down on bottled water
Bottled water is not just expensive, but also terrible for the environment.
Plastic water bottles are often discarded carelessly, leading to an increase in litter and pollution. Plus, bottled water is no better or safer than tap water.
The best way to avoid bottled water is by simply drinking from the tap or installing a filtering system in your home.
But if you’re set on buying bottled water, choose aluminum over plastic and make sure you recycle it.
Another simple change you can make is to stop using so many straws.
When most people think of plastics polluting our oceans, they picture straws as one of the main culprits since we don’t always dispose of them properly when we’re done with them.
According to recent research, Americans use half a million straws every day — which adds up to about 180 billion straws per year!
You can cut down on this number by choosing reusable straws over disposable ones or even refusing drinks with straws altogether (unless they’re necessary).
5) Give up gum, mints, and candies
If you have been chewing gum, sucking on mints, or eating candies, stop it. They’re all made of plastic and they’re all bad for the environment.
For instance, each year Americans use over 1.5 billion pieces of chewing gum which equals out to about 10 million pounds of discarded gum every year.
The non-biodegradable nature of this trash means that it never goes away and will likely still be around long after we are gone.
The only way you can get rid of this problem is by quitting your habit altogether and refusing to buy products that contain these ingredients in the future.
You may not feel like you need to give up much with just one simple change but trust us. It will make a difference in the long run.
6) Put pressure on manufacturers
The solution starts with manufacturers. They’re the ones producing all this throwaway packaging in the first place.
They need to take responsibility for their products and find viable alternatives that aren’t wasteful. They shouldn’t leak chemicals into our food, and don’t pollute waterways.
Plastic is convenient; we understand that. We just need more companies that care enough about their customers and environment (and their profits) to make sustainable changes happen.
7) Bring your own garment bag to the dry cleaner
Do you remember the last time you had your clothes cleaned? Probably not, but if you do, the chances are that they came back wrapped in all sorts of plastic.
Plastic dry cleaning bags are ubiquitous and convenient for both customers and dry cleaners alike. But don’t be fooled by how practical it seems.
Plastic is one of the world’s most common pollutants. It can take up to 100 years to degrade in landfill sites.
You may have also noticed that these bags are usually thrown away after each use. This means that even though they’re used just once, they still end up as rubbish – clogging up our landfills with non-biodegradable debris.
So what’s an eco-conscious person to do? Bring their own garment bag!
8) Hire a Waste Removal Service
If you’re looking to remove or dispose of plastic bottles efficiently, consider hiring a waste removal service in your city.
Their team will come to your location and collect all the bottles on-site so that they can be recycled or repurposed. You’ll never have to worry about sorting, hauling, or storing bottles again.
Conclusion
Now it’s your turn.
If I miss any ways but you know. Please comment on me. I will add it ASAP.
