Plastic has become one of the most harmful materials on our planet. It has devastating short term and long term effects on our environment. Plastic is cheap, economical, and easy to mold, so it’s no wonder why use of it has become rampant.
People have become dependent on plastic products, so making the shift to living with less plastic usage can be a challenge. While it might be impossible to avoid the use of plastic entirely, there may be effective ways to limit its use. To help people achieve a plastic-free lifestyle, we compiled this guide to help reduce plastic use. Here are some tips on how to lessen the need for plastic:
1. Bring your own bag
Not just for the supermarket, always bring your own shopping bags whenever you shop. This alone can save between 400 and 600 plastic bags per year. Likewise, the use of tote bags is gaining popularity these days. There is a wide selection of cool tote bags available online and at your local stores.
2. Refrain from using plastic straws
Skip the straws altogether or consider some easy alternatives to the ubiquitous plastic straws that come in nearly every restaurant glass. There are stainless, glass, paper, and bamboo straws that are available on the market. You can also talk to your local restaurants and eateries about signing up for The Last Plastic Straw program where restaurants are encouraged to serve customers with straws only upon request, use straw alternatives, or offer no straws at all.
3. Reusable food container and utensils
Use reusable containers for your food and leftovers. You can opt for lightweight bamboo utensil sets. These are much sturdier, better, and safer than plastic utensils. And don’t forget your stainless straws.
4. Use reusable water containers
Rather than drinking out of disposable plastic bottles, bring your own stainless steel water bottles. If you don’t have your stainless steel bottle with you, then get a glass-bottled drink instead. When you are finished with it, you can reuse the bottle or recycle it. Glass is much more recyclable than plastic.
5. To-go cups
Consider getting your own stainless or ceramic mug. Instead of using single-use coffee cups, start using reusable coffee cups. Some coffee shops will even reward your thoughtfulness with a small discount on your hot beverages. Hot beverages taste better in durable ceramic, anyway!
6. Don’t use plastic wraps
We’ve been used to stretch plastic wrap for cooking and preserving foods but there are many great substitutes to this material like beeswax paper. Beeswax paper conforms to bowls and containers, keeps sandwiches fresh, and the best thing about it is its being washable and reusable.
7. Stop Smoking
Cigarette filters are actually made of plastic. Every cigarette butt you dispose of is contributing to plastic pollution worldwide. The same goes for lighters. Rather than buying plastic disposable lighters, consider investing on refillable multi-use lighters.
By living with less plastic, you are impacting on our planet positively, at the same time, making it better for future generations. As more people start adapting to a plastic-free life, this impact will grow exponentially, helping to clean up our seas, reduce waste in our landfills, and lessen the serious effects of global warming.
Author – Edward Cruz is a guest contributor for Mother Erth and a staff writer for VIPpromocodes.com