Plastic is in everything we use, plain and simple. It’s hard to think of a product plastic isn’t used in. We’ve covered the logistics of how plastic is harmful to the environment. Now, it’s time to cover how you could change your habits a little bit at a time for living plastic-free.
No one can become the zero-waste hero they wish they could be overnight – here are some of the ways you can shift into an anti-plastic lifestyle in just 5 ways and help plastic pollution become a thing of the past.
Plastic Straws? Use Stainless Steel Straws
Although they seem small, they create a huge environmental impact on the ocean’s sea creatures and their quality of life. According to Australian scientists Denise Hardesty and Chris Wilcox, there are nearly 7.5 million plastic straws lying around America’s shorelines (Seth Borenstein, PHYS.ORG).
Plastic such as single-use plastic and microplastics end up in the bodies of fish and other marine life, birds, and countless other animals. It was even reported that a straw went up a turtle’s nose. This is why stainless steel straws are a better option. They help reduce the use of plastic straws overall and eliminate waste.
Paper straws are also a wonderful alternative, since they are eco-friendly, biodegradable, safer for animals and wildlife, and take less time to decompose.
Plastic Containers? Use Paper Packaging
Did you know that fruit is packaged even though you can purchase the whole fruit and put it in your cart with no plastic involved?
Take BOXED WATER, for instance. Water is water, no matter if it is packaged in plastic or paper packaging.
With packaging, it’s another disposable plastic item added into the ocean, of which there are already 8.8 million metric tons in the ocean every year (BOXED WATER IS BETTER).
Taking the initiative to purchase paper packaged items not only reduces our use of plastic but helps kick our plastic habit. Not to mention these packaging items can be reused and recycled, or composted.
Plastic Cups? Invest in Stainless Steel Bottles or Cups
Everywhere you go, there are plastic cups and plastic bottles. Red solo cups, clear plastic cups, colored plastic cups – the list goes on.
There is an infinitely better option: the reusable, long-term stainless steel bottle.
The stainless steel bottle can be purchased almost anywhere you go. They come in different colors, can be made with no BPA (the chemical that seeps from plastic and further harms the environment), and have features such as insulation. The best part? No plastic is used whatsoever!
Click here for more information on why the stainless steel bottle is the superhero of zero-waste.
Plastic Bags? More Like Reusable Tote Bags
Much like stainless steel bottles, tote bags are a top tier no-plastic item. Instead of rippable plastic carrying your groceries, products, or other items, a reusable tote bag can carry all of your things without the risk of ripping or harming the environment, much like the Magnolia tote bag pictured above. Instead of throwing it in a landfill, just put it back in your pantry for later use. They can even last for future generations, so your kids and their kids can use it.
You can also use reusable mesh bags for products such as fruit and produce.
Plastic Wrappers? Go For Paper Wrapping
Straws have plastic wrapping. Candies have plastic wrapping. Even makeup products have plastic wrapping. Now, the ocean has plastic wrapping, too.
Instead of wrapping our products in useless plastic to preserve the product, why not wrap it in sustainable packaging such as paper or biodegradable materials.
Not only does it still preserve the items being sold, but it also helps preserve the natural environment.
Final Thoughts
Life without plastic is our goal. From straws to bags to packaging, you can live a plastic-free life one product at a time. Products like the ones listed above can also be made from recycled materials, biodegradable materials, and compostable materials – it all depends where it’s produced. If paper alternatives aren’t provided, there are also biodegradable plastic, which allows for decomposing and recycling. If reducing plastic isn’t an option, at least go for a better kind of plastic!
Take the No-Plastic pledge with us and purchase your plastic-free environmentally-friendly Evergreen Promotions products. We offer reusable tote bags and stainless steel bottles, which will be available late August. Our stainless steel straw will be available later on. Go to our About Page to learn more about Evergreen Promotions.