Plastic is currently one of the most damaging substances on the planet, and due to the nature of how it breaks down, it’s even finding its way into our bodies at an ever-increasing rate.
One way to try and avoid introducing plastic into your life is by avoiding it as much as possible, and while it may seem like a monumental task at first, it’s more than possible and easier than most people believe.
For those wanting to learn how to reduce the amount of plastic they use, these are the simplest ways to go about it.
1. Shopping Bags
The usefulness of these slim and easily torn sacks is incredibly limited, yet somewhere between 5 billion and 1 trillion plastic bags are used around the globe every year, according to one estimate.
These packets, although accessible to shoppers, have a heavy economic price and are one of the most dangerous types of trash. It’s a good idea to try and avoid plastic bags as much as possible by making use of reusable bags, and it’s becoming such a popular idea that some authorities have introduced measures to encourage more individuals to do so.
2. Coffee Mugs
Another way to decrease your plastic footprint is to bring your own thermos for to-go coffee. Disposable coffee cups may be mostly made of paper, but they are generally covered with a sort of plastic resins, and polyethylene.
These products can be reused in principle, but the infrastructure is lacking in most locations. Then there are bowls, stirrers, and coffee suppliers still using foam cups of polystyrene — which can be completely avoided by using your own mug.
3. Choosing Cardboard
In general, cardboard recycling is simpler than plastic recycling, plus paper products tend to biodegrade more readily without adding much weight to the item, such as glass or aluminium does.
So, grab pasta in the box instead of pasta in plastic when you have the option, or detergent in the box instead of the bottle. It’s also possible to check if the companies you buy from maintain sustainability in terms of the cardboard they use.
4. Face Products
Much of the plastic that’s polluting the oceans is microplastics, tiny chunks that are next to impossible to filter out. These plastics can come from bigger items breaking down, but they are also commonly added to consumer products like face wash and toothpaste.
These little beads are intended to be exfoliators, but many wastewater treatment facilities aren’t able to process them. There are many biodegradable alternatives, so avoid items with “polypropylene” or “polyethylene” on the ingredients list or consider making your own.
5. Food Storage
It is worth re-evaluating the use of plastic baggies, plastic wrapping and plastic storage containers. It may make more sense to use a bento box or other reusable container for keeping dinner fresh in the fridge.
It can also make more sense to try and avoid plastic containers in favour of glass. When it comes to carryout after a meal at a restaurant before heading home for a game of bingo Canada, and similar containers can be used instead of disposable ones — although it can certainly take some courage and some explanation to assist comprehend your local restaurants.