Six Ways to Reduce your Dependence on Plastics

Plastic is everywhere! And of all the plastic produced, less than 10% is recovered for recycling. It may be convenient and useful, but our dependence on the non-degradable product is causing problems for the environment. With nowhere to go after use, it piles up in the landfills, but doesn’t always stay there often ending up in the ocean and other places. We can curb our plastic dependence by making a few simple swaps.

Metal Straws

You can avoid plastic straws at restaurants by bringing your own metal straws. These can be cleaned and reused multiple times.

Reusable Bags

Bringing your own grocery bags and choosing reusable bags for packing lunches can prevent plastic waste from piling up. Reusable bags are also easy to make if you have old fabric lying around.

Buy in Bulk

You can bring your own storage containers to certain grocery stores that sell products in bulk. This reduces unnecessary packaging and ensures that you only buy what you need, thus preventing food waste in the process.

Reusable Bottles

Skip the single-use water bottles and coffee cups and start bringing your own. Many coffee shops allow customers to bring their own reusable mug and you can refill reusable water bottles as often as needed.

Eat Fresh

Fresh food and produce does not require as much packaging as frozen and processed foods. Plus it’s much healthier for your diet.

Avoid Microbeads

Many toiletries contain micro plastics which are nearly impossible to filter out and end up in waterways. These microbeads can be found in face wash as an exfoliate or some toothpaste brands. Avoid those that contain polypropylene or polyethylene. Better yet, learn how to make your own face wash and skip the other harmful chemicals altogether.

These are just a few ways we can and our dependence on plastic and live a greener life. What other plastic products have you learned to do without?