Plastic products have changed human lives in many ways, making life easier and safer. However, there are many ways that plastic can adversely affect the environment, as well as human health. A majority of the plastic products currently in use are not biodegradable, and attempts to dispose of them through landfills and incineration can result in plastic pollution, as plastic products take a long time to disintegrate and can release toxic fumes when burnt. The implications can be bad, as more and more plastic products are being produced than we are able to get rid of. As a matter of fact, there is more plastic produced in the first 10 years in this century alone than the whole of last century.
In an effort to raise environmental consciousness, we should all practice these following tips in order to reduce the usage of plastic in our daily lives:
1) Bring your own reusable bags for shopping - Need we say more? Using reusable shopping bags made of cloth can significantly reduce the amount of plastic bags used to bag up your shopping
2) Pack your lunch in reusable containers - Instead of packing your sandwich in Saran wraps, consider investing in a good Tupperware.
3) Get your to-go coffee in your drinking flask - Get your morning coffee in your reusable flask. It will keep your coffee nice and hot longer than the cups given out at your to-go café, and this will reduce the need for the plastic lids on your coffee cups
4) Use stainless steel ware instead of plastic - Besides reducing plastics, it is a better alternative to the toxic compounds in plastic ware that react with hot food.
5) Use old newspaper or junk mail as padding for things to be shipped - There is some use for junk mail after all! They will keep the products you ship safe just as much as bubble wrap, besides keeping the products more stable in the containers.
6) Use rechargeable batteries - Besides saving you a fortune, it will also save the environment by reducing the plastic packaging required to wrap normal batteries.
7) Buy music online - Who buys CDs anymore really? By buying your music online, you can reduce the amount of the plastic casings produced to protect the CDs.
8) Stop using disposable razors - Consider buying one with a replaceable head instead.
9) Buy loose produce - By doing so, you can pack the produce in the bags you bring from home.
10) Use natural ingredients to clean your home and laundry - Baking soda and vinegar are powerful cleaning agents that also leave the surface you cleaned shining like new.
11) Use cloth diapers/ pads - This is a good alternative to the disposable diapers/pads that are currently in the market. They also keep the skin in our intimate areas aerated and less prone to infections.
12) Dispose electronics in a proper e-waste facility - A lot of e-waste consists of various types of plastics. Finding a facility that can properly dispose and recycle your waste is beneficial for the environment.
13) Buy toys made of wood or cloth - Besides saving the environment, it also keeps your children away from the harmful compounds in plastic toys.
14) Avoid cleansing products that contain microbeads - Microbeads are very fine particles of plastic that are difficult to filter out in water waste treatment plants. As such, they are a major source of polltants that are released into the ocean.
15) Use aluminum foil instead of Ziploc bags - You can wrap up your leftover produce in aluminum foil, which will keep them just as fresh as Ziploc bags.
16) Use handkerchiefs - This will reduce the need for tissues, and thus the plastic packaging needed to wrap the tissues in.
17) Shop in second-hand/ thrift stores - "One man’s junk is another man’s treasure", they say. You will reduce wastage, as well as save a lot of money by shopping in second-hand/ thrift stores.
18) Consider gift-cards as presents - This will be a good way to ensure that the people you are giving gifts to will get exactly what they want! You will also save on gift packaging, indirectly helping the environment!
19) Switch to online billing - This method helps you save the environment in two ways; reduced usage of paper, and the reduced need for envelopes with plastic windows.
20) Buy products in bulk - The more you buy, the less often you go shopping. Consequently, less plastic bags are used. You may also want to consider storing your loose products in glass jars instead of plastic containers.
There you have a list of 20 ways of reducing the usage of plastics in your life. Implementing one or two in your daily life step by step will go a long way in reducing your plastic usage footprint.
These are good tips. Reducing our plastic consumption is a good goal.