While having the technology to make products out of plastic has made a lot of things easier in life, it’s also made it easier for the environment around us to suffer as a result. But luckily, there are things we can do to reduce the use and need of plastic so that the negative impacts can start to slowly diminish.
To help you see how this can be done, here are three ways you can start using less plastic.
Don’t Purchase Anything In Plastic
In a perfect world, you’d be able to rid your house and life entirely of plastic products. However, we don’t live in a perfect world, so making small steps toward less plastic is the right way to go.
To do this, you should try to stop purchasing items that come in plastic. Usually, the best place to start is at the grocery store. While some plastic used in packaging can be reused, getting items that aren’t in plastic at all should be the ideal. According to JR Thorpe, a contributor to Bustle.com, avoiding plastic will likely mean going to the deli counter for things like meats and cheeses. You can also find things that are traditionally in plastic containers, like laundry detergent, in cardboard boxes instead. And for other items, you may want to buy them in bulk and fill up your own containers.
Be Smart About Takeout
In the last few months, people have been encouraged to get more takeout as a way to boost their local economies and support small businesses. But if you’re getting takeout from a restaurant that uses plastic, you could be solving one problem by fueling another.
As a way to remedy this, the Green Education Foundation recommends that you bring your own containers if you’re eating at a restaurant so that you don’t have to use their plastic takeout options. Additionally, you can ask if the restaurant has any non-plastic alternatives. This may be an option to those who think to ask for it, so see if they can accommodate this request.
Rethink Kitchen Storage
For many people, the majority of the single-use plastic that they use at home is in the kitchen. To combat this, you may need to get a big creative.
According to AC Shilton, a contributor to Outside Online, one option for kitchen storage is to use reusable bags. But if you’re not wanting to go this route, you can always use aluminum foil to help with your kitchen storage issues, as aluminum foil is a recyclable product.
If you’re wanting to find a way to start using less plastic in your life, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you achieve this.
