By Sasha Srinivas, Guest Writer, Social Media Associate: Content, Social Media for Save The Water™ | September 7, 2019
When thinking of reducing plastic waste in our daily lives, we usually think of carrying reusable water bottles and avoiding using straws. Although these choices help reduce plastic, we can do more. Now we will talk about a few more easy things that you can do to reduce plastic waste in your daily life. Check out these five practical tips that go beyond bringing a reusable water bottle and avoiding straws:
1. Bring Your Own (BYO) Non-Plastic Cutlery
Many of us end up using plastic cutlery in our daily lives. For example, many people pack plastic cutlery to eat lunch at work. Or they use plastic forks and knives when going to a take out or fast food joint.Instead, to avoid using plastic cutlery, pack a metal spoon or fork when packing your lunch. If you’re up for the challenge, bring your own non-plastic cutlery when going to a take out or fast food restaurant that usually uses plastic cutlery.
2. Use Bar Soap Instead of Body Wash
Recently, a few companies such as Unilever have vowed to make their products more sustainable. But you are probably using many of the toiletries that are packaged in plastic containers. Although it may be harder to find shampoos and conditioners that aren’t in plastic packaging, you can switch to bar soap from body washes, which are usually in plastic bottles. Bar soap is also easily available. The good news is that more and more companies are beginning to offer shampoos, conditioners, and other products in non-plastic packaging. If you’re up for the challenge, take a look at some zero waste companies to introduce zero waste toiletries into your daily routine.
3. Keep Reusable Shopping Bags In Your Car
Many people have turned to using reusable shopping bags when going grocery shopping or shopping at the mall to avoid using plastic bags. But how many times have you forgotten your cloth bag at home? Or made an unplanned stop at the grocery store on your way home from work and had to use plastic bags to carry your groceries? A good solution to this is to always keep a spare, reusable bag or two in your car. That way, if you ever make any unexpected stops, you’ll always have a reusable bag handy. Just remind yourself to put the bag back in your car after you’ve brought in your things.
4. Avoid Plastic Bags When Buying Loose Produce And Fruits
While many of us may use reusable cloth bags when bagging our groceries, we still use store provided plastic bags for loose fruits and vegetables. You can avoid this by using reusable cloth or mesh bags to cut down on the number of plastic bags you use for loose fruits and vegetables. Most grocery stores don’t have a problem with this, so it’s an easy fix to make sure you’re using less plastic when bagging groceries.
5. Use Glass Containers Instead of Plastic Ones
When packing your lunch or keeping leftovers in the fridge, stop using plastic containers. While you may be reusing plastic containers, eventually many of them end up in the garbage; we replace these with new, plastic containers. Instead, buy some glass containers. Not only is it easier and healthier to heat and store food in glass, it also reduces the amount of plastic that ends up in our environment.
Keep up the Good Work
Ultimately, if you reduce your use of plastic in as many ways as possible, less plastic ends up in our water bodies. Every bit of plastic that doesn’t end up in our water bodies is a step in the right direction. We hope you can challenge yourself to use these five practical tips to reduce the amount of plastic you use in your everyday life.
References
- Tik Root. June 28, 2019. “Environment 1: The Story of Plastic: Why carrying your own fork and spoon helps solve the plastic crisis.” National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/06/carrying-your-own-fork-spoon-help-plastic-crisis/
