10 Easy Ways You Can Reduce Plastic Waste Today

An overwhelming 200 million tons of plastic are produced per year, with more than 80% not being recycled. Throw-away culture has taken over and will soon destroy our land and oceans if action isn’t taken soon. Here are some tips you can use to help fight against plastic pollution:

1) Reusable Bottles

One of the most effective ways to reduce plastic use in your home can be done easily by making the switch to a water filtration system and using reusable bottles. Since the average person needs at least four water bottles a day, switching to reusable bottles can save up to 1,460 bottles a year per person.

2)Shop in Bulk

Another simple way to help reduce plastic waste is by buying products in bulk, which in turn leads to less plastic packaging overall. In fact, if you want to take it one step further, the best option would be to buy products that don’t use plastic packaging at all.

3) Rethink Plastic in Beauty

Toothbrushes, Shampoo, Razors, Hair Gel, and other beauty products are items we all go through pretty quickly in our homes. Considering the large amounts of plastic commonly associated with these items, toiletries are a major offender in the cause of excessive waste hitting our dumps. Thankfully, there are now options for almost all these products that come with plastic free packaging.

4) Reusable Bags

Say NO to plastic bags. According to 2018’s United States EPA data charts, over 4,200,000 tons of plastic bags were produced with less than a 10% recycle rate, meaning a large number of these plastic bags are skipping the recycling process and going directly into the trash. By refusing plastic bags in the grocery store, you are consciously making the decision to save hundreds of bags per year from entering and harming our environment.

5) Use What You Already Have

It’s more than likely you already have a number of different types of plastic items in your home. Find some time to get creative with the plastics you already have before tossing them into the trash. This is where you can put “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle” into action and get some DIY creativity flowing. The limits are endless on ways you can reuse plastic containers in your home from planters to snack containers and more!

6) Say NO to Straws

In today’s generation, it's hard to find places that offer alternatives for single-use plastics for on-the-go options, but if you must order that drink, by not including a straw with your order, you are helping encourage the lowering of plastic production from big companies. It is estimated that 8.3 billion straws a year pollute our oceans. Help save the oceans, and bring your own reusable straws!

7) Ditch the Dryer Sheets

Dryer sheets are a sneaky source of single-use plastic that are popularized in today's laundry rooms. Commercialized dryer sheets are made with synthetic polyesters and filled with toxic chemicals that take years to break down and cause great harm to the environment. Ditch the dryer sheets and make the swap to wool dryer balls. Biodegradable and made of natural materials, wool dryer balls are a great alternative to dryer sheets and can be used in up to a thousand loads of laundry.

8) Don't Use Ziploc Bags or Plastic Wrap

With reusable containers easily accessible, there is little need for the use of plastic wrap or ziploc bags. Replace those one-time use ziplocs for airtight containers and get the same job protecting your food done while reducing plastic use. There are also many reusable food wrap options available on the market with lovely designs that encourage an eco-friendly kitchen.

9) Use Matches Instead of Plastic Lighters

Over 350 million disposable lighters end up in landfills each year causing more plastic pollution and hazardous contamination for our planet. Wood and paper matches are biodegradable and environmentally friendly, which makes them an easy choice over plastic lighters. They are also produced in the USA, which means a smaller carbon footprint over imported disposable options.

10) Switch to Plastic-free Gum

Did you know that gum is made from plastic and other harmful chemicals? Polyethylene, a plastic commonly used for bags and bottles, is found in chewing gum and takes over 500 years to decompose. Gum creates up to 560,000 tons of garbage a year. A safer option for the environment and your teeth is biodegradable mastic gum, which is a natural gum product.

By making these little changes to your lifestyle, you can make a big difference towards preserving our Earth for future generations. Join the conversation and help make an impact on reducing plastic pollution today!