4 Easy Ways to Use Less Plastic
Recycling isn’t the best solution for our waste problem. Instead, strive to use less plastic in the first place. Here’s how to do it…
You may think that you’re already doing all you can to reduce plastic waste because you recycle as much as possible, but in fact recycling creates its own set of problems. Recycling centers release emissions into the atmosphere, similar to when new plastic is created.
While recycling is still better than throwing plastic into a landfill (where it can end up in our waterways, release toxins, and endanger wildlife), the best thing for the environment is simply to use less plastic in the first place.
But so many things come in plastic these days, how exactly do you do that? Here are 4 simple ways to use less plastic in your daily life, from Fix.com:
1.) Carry Your Own Reusable Grocery Bags
Keep reusable grocery bags in your car so that you can kindly decline the plastic grocery sacks at the store. Yes, you can reuse the plastic sacks, but why bring them home in the first place? No matter how you use them later, they eventually end up in landfills and take forever to break down. In fact, go the extra mile and bring your own reusable mesh produce bags and skip those thin baggies, too.
2.) Carry Your Own Reusable Water Container or Coffee Cup with You
Here’s where we give you permission to buy yourself a little gift. By purchasing a stainless steel (the aluminum ones are lined with plastic) or glass water bottle and/or an insulated or ceramic coffee cup, you’ll easily avoid plastic on a daily basis. Buy the most beautiful one that you can find.
3.) Bring Your Own Eating Utensils
My mind can’t even wrap itself around all the plastic knives, forks, and spoons that are tossed into the garbage can every day, much less every month or year. Keep a set of personal cutlery in your car or purse in a cloth bag. Tuck a stainless steel straw in there, too.
4.) Avoid Purchasing Convenience Foods
Convenience foods are easy to spot because they’re over-packaged. They show up as processed foods, frozen dinners, canned goods, and even packaged produce. Did you even realize that canned foods can become tainted with the plastic coating that’s lining the inside of the cans? And who came up with setting a few tomatoes on Styrofoam trays and then wrapping them in plastic wrap? Ugh!
Here are a few non-plastic food storage ideas. Don’t go throwing away all of your plastic containers today (that’s just wasteful), but when you get ready to replace them, consider switching to these alternatives:
Source: Fix.com Blog
