It is no secret that the amount of plastic we are producing is causing havoc to our planet. This not only means in terms of the climate, but animals are being impacted by the plastic too. Ditching plastic into the environment can kill animals. Thankfully, there are things we can each individually do to cut back on single-use plastic usage.
Grocery Bags
We all do groceries. We tend to use a lot of bags when doing it too. Many countries have started to ‘charge’ for these bags in a bid to cut down on single-use and encourage people to use them multiple times. If you can, we suggest that you pick up a ‘bag for life’, which is basically a bag that you can use repeatedly. If you do need to take single-use bags, then try to use them as often as possible. They make great garbage bags at the end of the day, so use them for that too. Don’t just toss them out onto the street.
Water Bottles and Soda Bottles
You need to be drinking eight glasses of water every single day. This means that you probably will need to carry some water around with you. Don’t just buy a water bottle from the store, though. Fill up your own water bottle at home and continue to use that. Plastic bottle caps are devastating for birds. They enjoy eating them.
It can be difficult to drink soda without using a single-use bottle, but you can use these bottles as a makeshift water bottle for a while after, but bear in mind that the plastic has been built to disintegrate with use, so you probably don’t want to be using it for too long. Try to cut down on usage here too.
Coffee Cups
Who doesn’t enjoy a good coffee on occasion? The problem is that we throw away a lot of disposable coffee cups each year. Luckily for us, many of the coffee shops that you find on the High Street will be more than happy to give you a discount if you bring your own coffee cup along. It is them doing a little bit for the environment. Thankfully, it isn’t too hard to pick up your own reusable coffee cup. They may even sell them in your favorite coffee shop!
Plastic Straws
There are billions of straws thrown into landfills each year. In fact, 6 billion straws are used daily around the world, each taking about 200 years to break down. You don’t need to use a straw. However, if you feel you do need to use a straw, then purchase one which is not made of plastic. There are several options on the market. You can also buy reusable straws. There are a few shops out there which have started to offer these when they sell you drinks.
Food Containers
Finally; ditch the idea of disposable food containers. Purchase a good solid food container that is going to last you a while! I personally love glass containers like the ones here.
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