How to Go Plastic Free: 3 Easy Steps That Change the World
Plastic can be awesome. It’s in almost everything from clothing and vehicles to office items and household furniture, and it’s hard to go a day without using something made of plastic. But plastic used to be much more functional and reusable. Somewhere along the line, companies decided that we should use single-use plastic containers and never thought about how we would dispose of them. That’s why the conversation around learning how to go plastic free has become so important for the health of our planet—and ourselves.
Plastic is made out of a derivative of oil and it takes hundreds of years to even start breaking down. It takes thousands of years to degrade. It poisons animals, heavily pollutes our oceans, kills fish, infiltrates our bodies, and makes our landscapes ugly with litter.
A long time ago, if you went to the market, you brought bags, or a basket, your own cart, or maybe just a tall man with large arms. We used to have our milk delivered in refillable glass jugs and have Tupperware parties to make sure all our leftovers were kept nice and fresh. When and why did we transition into this throw-away and wasteful world?
We can’t change what’s already happened. But by taking small steps and learning how to go plastic free, we can end plastic pollution. Here’s how.
While I’m sharing ways to start living a plastic-free life, I may include affiliate links to products that can help you sidestep the unnecessary refuse and prevent plastic waste. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no cost to you. Now, let’s look at ways to send plastic packing!
We have become so lazy and absorbed that we can’t even be responsible enough to remember a bag for grocery shopping, let alone remember a reusable coffee mug. Because that is definitely too much to ask. So much to ask that, when California tried to pass a statewide plastic bag ban earlier this year, it was overturned by the American Progressive Bag Alliance and their ability to get over half a million signatures disapproving of it.
In case that didn’t sink in, yes—there is a plastic bag alliance. How ridiculous. The other crazy thing is that 500,000 people have the time to sign a petition but they can’t remember to put a bag in their car and then remember to bring it to a grocery store with them.
The Europeans have been charging for bags at the grocery store for as long as I have been alive and they don’t seem to be complaining about it. I guess in this country, we would rather see images like this than have to pay 10 cents for a bag or bring our own.
According to Treehugger, approximately 1.5 million barrels of oil are used to make plastic water bottles every. That’s right folks, they are made of petroleum, much like most of our built world. Nearly 90% of plastic isn’t recycled and that’s why we have places around the world that look like this.
National parks in America recently tried to ban selling plastic water bottles and installed water fountains all over the parks. But the International Bottled Water Association fought them, and using nasty language, had the U.S. Government overturn these rules. Read more about that here.
How to Go Plastic Free Today in 3 Steps
1. Buy a reusable water bottle
If just 10% of us bought reusable water bottles and stopped buying bottles of water or soda, we would save millions of bottles from reaching landfills—or worse, our oceans. For water, Klean Kanteen is a great brand that uses recycled aluminum to make its sleek-looking bottles.
Or how about a reuseable coffee mug that keeps your coffee the perfect temperature? Bonus: many coffee shops give a discount if you bring your own cup. There are also great reusable soda containers if you aren’t a water drinker.
2. Ditch the Plastic Bags
Plastic bags are terrible for the environment. Not recyclable, they end up in landfills and often blow around in the wind, ending up in oceans, rivers, and streams. A great way to reduce plastic waste is to convert your kitchen into a plastic free zone.
You can start with reusable shopping bags and produce bags.
Ditch the Ziploc bags for reusable and dishwasher-safe silicone food bags for frozen and fresh items. Get rid of that plastic wrap and try out these great BeesWax wraps. I promise they will keep your vegetables fresher and they stop produce like avocado from turning brown.
Even plastic Tupperware can be switched out with glass Tupperware. It lasts longer and can be heated, cooled and washed more often.
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