Everyone knows that plastic is not good for the environment. It makes sense that there are more and more measures taken to condemn it. Grocery stores started, a few years ago, charging people who did not bring their own reusable bags. It is paramount that everyone does their own part in saving the environment by reducing their consumption of plastic. Here are 20 tricks to ban plastic from your life.
20. Privilege glass containers
Use glass containers for salads, nuts or for any other product that you buy in bulk.
19. Use reusable bags to do the groceries
You can reduce your consumption of plastic by packing your groceries in reusable bags. Avoid using bags made of nylon or with polyester since those materials are made out of plastic. Ideally, they should be made of cotton.
18. Avoid take-out food or delivery food
These two types of meals always come with a huge amount of plastic: a beverage, plastic containers and plastic utensils. It is better to cook at home for your health and for the environment.
17. Ban plastic film
Don’t use plastic film, use tupperwares instead.
16. Opt for bulk food
Even grocery stores have started following this mouvement!
15. Avoid precut and prepacked vegetables and fruits
Usually, the produce is out of season so it’s not even fresh. Also, grocery stores tend to overpack them.
14. Buy wood furniture
Forget about plastic furniture and opt for wood furniture. They are more eco friendly and more beautiful.
13. Replace your highlighters with coloured crayons
If you are still in school, replace your highlighters with coloured crayons: They are better for the environment.
12. Sip your drinks without a straw
Do you ever really need a straw?
11. Replace your plastic lighter with matches
If you need to light a candle or a fireplace, use matches. A plastic lighter takes hours to disintegrate. If you hate matches, you can always use a reusable lighter.
10. Make your own beauty products
Be modern and eco friendly: make your own beauty products like soap and shampoo.
9. Say good bye to your exfoliant
Most exfoliants contain microbeads that unfortunately, end up in our sewers, then in the ocean and then swallowed by fish.
8. Don’t buy cotton swabs
It’s a very polluting object and it is not even recommended for auricular hygene.
7. Check the tags of your clothes before buying them
Avoid buying things made with 100% polyester. Opt for cotton or wool but not polyester.
6. Avoid buying things online
You probably know this but items bought online are always overpackaged. Try to buy them in store and don’t forget to bring your reusable bags!
5. Opt for cardboard packaging
You need to go buy some detergent or dishwasher soap? Try to choose products that come in cardboard packaging because this type of packaging is much easier to recycle than plastic packaging.
4. Use reusable bottles
It’s not a secret, bottled water contributes in increasing the source of plastic waste. Instead of spending your money on water bottles, buy yourself a reusage water bottle and fill it up with tap water.
3. Avoid plastic cutlery
Ban plastic cutlery from your life. You can easily bring your own cutlery to school or work. If you are planning a large dinner party at your house, you can ask your friends to help with the dishes instead of buying plastic cutlery.
2. Give a second life to your plastic fruit containers
Why not bring your used plastic fruit containers with you to the market? You can use them when you’re buying more fruit.
1. Stop chewing gum
Suprisingly, most chewing gums are made with a synthetic gum like polyethylene and polyvinyl acetate which are types of plastics. Avoid chewing gum to reduce your consumption of plastic waste. Why not buy mints in bulk instead?
Sources:
- Topito
- comment-economiser.fr
