Plastic. There’s no doubt that plastic is becoming an unavoidable problem—something that crops up in almost every aspect of our lives! With this toxic material having such huge effects on our carbon footprint, biodiversity, and landfill space, we must rethink our consumption approach and our relationship with plastic. So, how exactly can we effectively break up with plastic?
Reuse!
This tip may be obvious, but using reusable items such as a water bottle, shopping bag, drink straw, or coffee cup can have a significant impact on our environment. Think about it—how many teas or coffees do you consume in a week? How many plastic cups are you buying and disposing of in this process?
Avoid Brands That Use Plastic Packaging
Some companies are renowned for utilizing vast amounts of plastic packaging – but there are many brands that don’t. Do your research and opt for a kinder brand that sells items in eco-friendlier packaging like cardboard.
Fruit Isn't Wrapped In Plastic
If you’ve not yet considered a fruit as a snack, now is the time to do so—and ditch snacks wrapped in harmful single-use plastic, such as chocolate bars, cereal bars, and biscuits. Fruit is already covered in its own protective skin, meaning plastic is not needed!
Utilize Refill Stations
It’s challenging to avoid plastic containers for everything, but when you do have to buy one—such as a cleaning product container—consider going to a refill station to fill it back up. This prevents you from having to purchase yet another plastic container and extends the current one’s lifecycle.
Invest In Milk Delivery
Milk delivery is becoming less common these days, but it’s still a great practice to get involved with. Milkmen deliver milk in glass bottles and collect empty ones to reuse them, thus reducing the need for plastic cartons and the need to produce more and more packaging.
There are many different ways to stop using plastic. There’s no set method to break up with plastic, meaning you can try a variety of approaches. Here's where brands can take the opportunity to drop plastic packaging. By selling products in eco-friendlier packaging, such as cardboard and glass, they may be able to attract a broader eco-conscious consumer base.
