With plastics infiltrating every part of our lives, we have to wonder what effects they have on the environment. It is disheartening to find out that even plastics advertised as “recyclable” actually just become “downcycled” into lower-quality products, like plastic lumber. This means that not only is it wasteful, but that plastic products like milk cartons cannot even be recycled into other milk cartons.With our consumption of plastics growing rapidly, it’s more important than ever that we make the effort to recycle what we can and reduce our consumption where possible. We must come together and use the resources at our biodegradable disposable products to combat the plastic pollution problem and take our environment into consideration. We are all stewards of this earth and have a responsibility to make sure that it is taken care of for generations to come.
Say no to plastic straws, refuse them when ordering at a restaurant or a drive-thru and bring your own reusable drinking straw instead. With a reusable straw, you can keep the convenience without the waste, and save the environment one sip at a time.
Below are some tips to reduce plastic products
1. Opt for reusable products. Purchase items like reusable water bottles, bags, and straws instead of the biodegradable disposable products ones.
2. Reduce the amount of pre-packaged food that you buy: Try to buy more products in bulk and shop with reusable containers.
3. Ditch single-use plastics: Say ‘no’ to biodegradable disposable products when you’re ordering take out.
4. Don’t use extreme food packaging: It’s so easy to make a difference and cut down on plastic waste just by choosing differently in the supermarket. Opting for loose fruit and veg over pre-packaged alternatives can reduce our plastic consumption, while also saving us some money. What an awesome bonus. It doesn’t take much effort to make a positive change for the environment, and it’s always a win when you can save money too. Let’s all join together and cut down on plastic.
5. Always use refill stations for detergents: Shopping for cleaning products doesn’t have to mean dealing with plastic containers. You can avoid single-use plastic and be more environmentally-friendly with your cleaning purchases. Look for a refill station near you to easily fill up old bottles and containers for less waste and more savings. You can find the nearest refill station here.
6.Don’t use microbeads: With the recent news of the ban on microbeads by the UK government, it is essential to be a conscious shopper in the meantime. Until the ban comes into effect in 2018, you can help protect our planet’s environment by making sure to check labels of the products you are buying. Avoid any items that contain the materials such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and nylon. By taking these simple steps we can all do our part to protect our planet for future generations.
If we cut down biodegradable disposable productsandtake some simple steps, like bringing our own water bottles, a lunch bag with reusable containers and saying no to single-use plastics when shopping, we can all help to reduce our plastic consumption and create a big difference. Moreover, if we all recycle properly and compost our organic materials, then the plastic waste created will be minimised and eventually put to better use. The cumulative effect of these small actions is sure to create an impact on the plastic we consume in our everyday lives.