Take the Plastic-Free Challenge

Plastics in our environment have been trending quite frequently in social media, as well as online lately. I have been seeing the damage that plastics have done, and it hurts me deeply how the planet is suffering, and how it is affecting every single one of us, in one form or another.

Everywhere I look, there seems to be plastic. It litters our beaches, oceans, forests, and streets. When I take a walk, there is never a time I don't see at least one piece of plastic. Recycling alone doesn't seem to be the answer. People's intentions are good—we place plastic in our recycling bins—but then we have a windy day, and it seems to be all over the place, which isn't helping. It just keeps getting worse. Earthday.org states that plastics are "poisoning and injuring marine life," and "disrupting human hormones." This is a tragedy. How can we sustain this exponential growth of plastic? We can't! It has gotten to the point that it is threatening not only us humans as a race, but the survival of all life on this planet, as well as the survival of the planet itself. We cannot continue going down this same path. Something needs to be done NOW, and not just by some us, but by every human on this place we call home. I feel every single one of us have to do our part, because it's not going to affect just some of us, but it's going to affect all of us. I also wonder, how did we ever get to this point?

So, I decided to do some investigating trying to answer this question, and what we can do, as normal citizens of the world, to fix this problem.

How much do we really know about plastic and its pollution?

The first plastic-based, synthetic polymer product was made from phenol and formaldehyde. However, a cheap version wasn't invented until 1907. Plastic didn't become popular, though, until the 1960s, with the first plastic grocery shopping bags introduced in America in 1979. However, they didn't become popular til 1985. "By the end of 1985, 75 percent of supermarkets were offering plastic bags to their customers," as stated by Sarah Laskow of The Atlantic. So, it began.

There was a time that plastic didn't exist, and that time has to come again if we want our home to survive. We need to find healthier alternatives, and I believe it can happen, but we all have to do our part.

We have to start changing our attitudes and our habits around plastic, beginning with how we do our purchasing. Buy for quality. Yes it may be a little more expensive, but in the long run, these items will last for decades, and we won't be replacing the products as quickly.

10 Steps to Reducing our Plastic Footprint

So, the first thing I decided to do was see how much single-use plastic I really was using. I began to count the plastic going into my recycle bin. At first glance, I thought, "Oh, it doesn't look that bad," but once I started counting, I found that I had 42 pieces of plastic in my recycling. That was my first step of awareness; it wasn't as good as I thought. Awareness is always the first step. A great website to visit to help calculate plastic consumption is www.earthday.org. So, I decided to challenge myself and anyone who wants to join me, that over the next year, I will reduce my plastic footprint down to almost zero. I am confidant that it can be done.

1. Choose to Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Refuse plastic bags, plastic straws, plastic cutlery, and plastic beverage covers. Reduce your own plastic waste by becoming aware of how much you use. Reuse as much as possible. Bring your own reusable cloth shopping bags, and cloth produce bags, with you every where you go. The trick is not to forget them at home. As soon as you are finished with them, put them directly back in your car. Also, always keep a few pocket bags in your purse. That way, you will never forget them. Recycle the rest; hopefully, it's very little.
2. When buying coffee or any other beverage, bring your own reusable travel mug or water bottle, be it stainless-steel or glass. Better yet, to save money, make your own coffee at home.
3. When you go out to your favorite restaurant, bring your own containers for takeout.
4. Choose quality clothing made from natural fibers, instead of buying synthetics. Synthetics cause pollution in our oceans and rivers. Even better, buy secondhand.
5. Start making your own whole foods. Eat less processed foods. You can make your own products, such as pasta sauce, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, canned goods, and jams. You can grind your own peanut butter, and make your own bread and pasta noodles. You can also make your own facial cleansers and moisturizers. If you don't have time to make your own, make sure you buy these items in bulk, or use reusable glass jars as often as possible. Check out Pinterest; you'll find recipes for all these items.
6. Check out your local bakeries for your breads. Refuse the plastic bag, and get your bread in paper or use your own reusable bag.
7. Get rid of that pesky plastic wrap. Not only is it a nuisance, but it is very bad for you and the planet. Use parchment paper, buy beeswax wrap, or make your own.
8. Pack your lunches and snacks in reusable glass containers (mason jars), stainless-steel stacking containers, or cloth sandwich bags. That way, you will avoid the plastic sandwich bags. Get creative!
9. Use leftovers the next day. There are so many delicious meals you can make with leftovers. Dare to be creative. That way, you will reduce your garbage, and avoid using plastic garbage bags. Also avoid wasting food.
10. Try shopping in bulk stores that allow you to bring your own containers. These zero-waste stores are popping up all over the place, making it a lot easier to buy in bulk. They carry everything, from dry goods to shampoos, conditioners, cleaning products, dishwasher soaps, and laundry detergent. Check online for a zero-waste store near you. Websites like www.lifewithoutplastic.com also are a big help, if you are going plastic-free.

If you have to buy products packaged in plastic, make sure to avoid the worst culprits.

When purchasing products, check the label for the recycling symbol. This symbol usually has a number in the middle of it. This number indicates what kind of plastic is used. Below are the numbers to avoid:

#3 Polyvinyl chloride

This is an extremely toxic plastic which contains additives, such as lead and phthalates. Polyvinyl chloride is usually used in plastic wrap, some squeeze bottles, peanut butter jars (look for glass jars), and some children's toys.

#6 Polystyrene

Polystyrene is a plastic which contains the toxic material styrene, which is extremely dangerous for the brain and nervous system. Styrofoam, disposable dishes, take-out containers, meat trays and plastic cutlery usually contain this toxin.

#7 Polycarbonate/other category

This is a plastic which contains the toxin bisphenol A, or what we recognize as BHA. It is found in the lining of most metal/aluminum food cans, clear plastic sippy-cups, sports drinks bottles, and juice and ketchup bottles. If it doesn't indicate on the product that it is BHA-free, for your health and the planet's health, don't buy it.

We all need to start looking at quality instead of quantity, while paying attention to the entire life cycle of each product we buy. We need to rethink the way we do things. If everyone of us does our part, we will lessen the amount of plastics that enter the environment. Maybe then, the planet can start the healing process, and we can continue enjoying the wonders the earth has gifted to us. Let's save the planet, and the planet will save us. Why not join me on this challenge?