Why Reduce Plastic Use?
As more research is done on how our footprint is affecting the earth and our health, more evidence points to our over consumption of plastics as a main culprit. Look around your house and within a few minutes you may count 10 to 20 items in one room alone that contains plastic.
Rather than overhauling your entire lifestyle, you can gradually start to incorporate non-plastic items into your daily routine. Here are five simple baby steps that will make a difference.
1.) BYOB: Bring Your Own Bag. Whether you’re shopping at your local farmer’s market or at Target, bring your own bag. Plastic bags are dolefully given out whenever we make any kind of a purchase. Each year, 500 billion plastic bags are used, 100 billion of them used in the US alone. Do your part and reuse your plastic bags or purchase a stylish fabric tote bag and leave it in your car so that you’ll never have to worry about forgetting it.
2.) Pack Fruit and Veggies Smartly: This time, we’re talking about a different kind of plastic bag – the small ones you use to hold fruit and veggies at the grocery store. You can either continue to reuse your small produce bags or simply toss fruit or veggies into your basket sans a bag. If you’re worried that the items may get damaged or bruised, bring your own small plastic bags or purchase a few small cloth bags that will protect your food and the earth. When you take your items up to the check-out line to be weighed, simply take the produce out of the bag so that you won’t be charged for any of the bag’s weight.
3.) Hydrate Wisely: Next to plastic bags, plastic water and soda bottles take up some serious space in landfills. You can still stay hydrated and be eco-friendly by drinking out of glass or stainless steel containers (glass is preferable but not always practical). Plastic water and baby bottles that are imprinted with the #7 on the bottom of them can be harmful to your health because they leach out chemicals and carcinogens. Alternatives like glass and steel are BPA free, one of the chemicals used in plastic bottles. With so many different companies designing fun styles of bottles these days, you’re bound to find one or five that you love!
4.) Play with Wood: While most children’s toys are made with plastic, there are many companies who have had a long tradition of making green toys with wood and non-toxic paints. These toys last just as long as their plastic counterparts due and they are endearingly beautiful to look and play with. You may just find yourself playing a little longer with your daughter’s wooden train set or doll house.
5.) Recycle Product Containers: Many product lines from make-up to lotions and shampoos allow you to bring your original containers into their store and fill them up with a new supply of your beloved cleanser or tonic. Also, product lines might reward you for turning in an empty container which they’ll recycle and provide you with a new product and a discounted price. Check with your favorite product manufacturers to see if they have any programs in place and if they don’t, request that they start one.
Reducing your plastic use does not take tons of time or money. It just takes a little thought and a lot of care. And aren’t you and this beautiful earth worth it?
- Heather Ashare, MPH