Plastic is, quite frankly, a nightmare. It never biodegrades (it just breaks down into smaller pieces) and if you burn it it releases harmful fumes. It cannot be successfully recycled either. It is even in the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink.
But hey, it's not going to get better if we're just being miserable, is it? Lets make a change! Here are some easy ways to do so! Remember, no one is too small to make a difference!
Number one! Get a reusable bottle!- Rather than buying water in a single-use plastic bottle, why not have a bottle you can refill? You can buy re-usable plastic bottles, but it's still plastic and I think the water tastes funny. What I prefer to do is re-use glass bottles or passata jars as my water bottles. This one step makes a significant change and will save you money too!
Ditch the straw- Drinking straws are a somewhat unnessecary piece of plastic. You can buy reusable straws made from bamboo and other materials, but the easiest thing to do is to not bother.
Say no to disposable coffee cups- Disposable paper cups are actually lined with plastic to waterproof them. As well as this being more plastic, I am sure that some of this must leach or melt into your drink. A better option is to have a re-usable coffee cup (beware, lots of these are made with plastic too!) or, where possible, use a mug.
Reduce plastic shopping bags- When you go to a shop, take a reusable bag with you. These can be made from cotton, jute, or hemp. If you get deliveries, you can specify that you don't want plastic bags.
Buy in bulk- Buying products in larger bags reduces the packaging needed overall.
Buy in glass where possible- Glass still has a high environmental impact BUT it can be re-used much more than plastic. Unlike most substances, It doesn't rot, rust or break down in UV. For ideas about re-using glass jars, I have written an article on the subject; see at the end of this post!
Bees wraps- Rather than using cling film, you can buy (or make!) bees wax wraps. Another option is to use tin foil or couch roll and reuse it as much as possible.
Have reusable cutlery- If you're traveling, bring reusable bamboo or wooden cutlery with you (or re-use the plastic cutlery).
Remember your reusables- It is important that you remember to have your reusables when you need them. Otherwise, you'll have to keep getting single use plastic.
Avoid tinned food- Nobody seems to realise but food tins are lined with plastic on the inside to stop the metal rusting. The same goes for aluminium drinks cans.
Use old plastic bags as doggie poo bags- You can get biodegradable poo bags, but to me it seems a bit silly to do this if you're just going to put it in the bin with all the other plastic bags! And of course, make sure there are no holes in the bags!
Make your own oat milk- Dairy-free milk that you buy comes in paper cartons, but they are lined with plastic. We got a 'vegan milker' plant milk maker online for about £30 (many of the ones you buy are much more expensive), the plastic it's made from is not single use, plus it's BPA free!
The instructions say to use a blender, but we've discovered if you make oat milk you don't have to use any electricity! (If you try this and the 'milk' separates in the fridge, don't worry - just shake it before use.)
Microplastics...
No more glitter- Yes, glitter is actually made with plastic! And because the particles are so small, that means it can get anywhere!
Buy teabags that don't contain micro plastics- Some tea brands make their teabags with plastic. However, many brands don't. I think Teapigs is certified plastic free.
Eat less seafood- fish and shellfish are very high in microplastics; and fishermen often dump their nets into the ocean. You can make a difference by reducing your consumption, or, better, eating none.
Buy clothes made from natural fabrics- Lots of clothing is made from acrylic or polyester (plastic). When you need to buy new clothes, why not opt for a plant fabric like linen, organic cotton, or hemp instead?
Note- most fabrics are coated with chemical treatments or toxic dyes meaning that even if they are are a natural fibre, the microfibres will not biodegrade. Do your research and find a company that doesn't do this!
Fill your washing machine up more- When you put more clothes into a washing machine, it is meant to reduce the wear and tear on fabrics, meaning less plastic microfibres come off them if they are made from plastic.
Washing your clothes less often also helps- and both of these will also help reduce water and energy and save you money! Washing on a low temperature is good too!
Drive carefully- Car tires are a surprising, and large, contribution to plastic pollution because tiny bits are scraped off as they roll along. Avoid driving where possible (it helps carbon emissions, air quality and the animal population too!), and when you must drive, avoid speeding or taking fast turns to minimise abrasion on your tires. I think it would also help to make sure they are properly inflated.
Avoid cooking food with plastic- when you heat food and plastic together, the plastic contaminates the food. This also applies to "microwave/oven safe" plastics and even if it is not touching the food (it will circulate around an area).
More you can do...
Start composting- If you compost your food waste, you will save space in landfills. Plus, you will be using less bin-bags and you won't need to buy garden compost in plastic bags! It really isn't difficult either! We just throw anything in our compost bin - as long as it will biodegrade it's good.
Use the ocean hero search engine- For approximately every five searches on ocean hero, one plastic bottle is removed from the ocean. Here's a link for you-
Contact companies- Tell them to reduce their use of plastic! If enough people do this, they should start getting the message - that we're not happy and want them to find better alternatives!
Note: they may try to tell you that they need plastic packaging to preserve shelf-life of products... but since plastic packaging has been used, food waste has risen. Hmm...
Do you have any more suggestions? If so, please do contact me!
Spread the word!
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