8 Ways To Use Less Plastic
Written By: Rachel Thomas
Plastic is everywhere.
It’s used for pretty much anything - packaging, decorations, clothing, stationary and so much more.
In the last few years though, we have realized that plastic is actually not that great for the environment.
Plastic never goes away. It is made to last forever, yet a lot of plastic products are only designed to be used once and then thrown away, such as straws and plastic cutlery.
However, plastic is not biodegradable so it just breaks into smaller and smaller pieces.
So although you might think that throwing plastic away makes it disappear forever, it actually keeps its designed form for years and years, and maybe a few more years.
So why is plastic bad for the environment?
It Threatens Wildlife.
Animals can get tangled up in plastic or mistake it for food and eat it or feed it to their young. Think about plastic six pack rings - they get so easily stuck around an animal's neck, causing them to suffocate.
Have you ever watched Happy Feet? The plastic used to hold cans together gets stuck around one of the penguins.
I think it’s a pretty clever way to educate children what happens with such small products. Here’s a photo from the film:
Credit: Warner Bros / Courtesy Everett Collection
It Affects Human Health.
Research tells us that some plastics can cause chemicals to seep out when scratched or heated.
Research also suggests that at certain exposure levels, some of the chemicals in these plastic products may cause cancer in people.
An example of one chemical is bisphenol A (BPA), a weak manufactured estrogen found in many solid plastic products and even the shiny side of receipts (to stabilize the ink)!
Like most other chemicals found in plastics, the estrogen-like movement in BPA results in a hormone-disruptor.
This can affect how estrogen and hormones act in the body, throwing off a body’s hormonal balance.
Plastic is Everywhere
The remains of plastics are found everywhere, all around the world. They are found in street drains, rivers, the ocean and anywhere else that people find to litter.
Mountains of plastic rubbish have been found in our world’s oceans - even the deepest part of the world, the Mariana Trench, which is 10,994 metres below sea level!
That’s insane!
We can, however, limit the amount of plastic we buy and use. Here are 8 ways to use less plastic:
Say No To Straws.
More and more cafes, restaurants and pubs have stopped giving out plastic straws to their customers which is great! In fact, many of them have switched to paper straws.
However, there are still places that offer the sneaky plastic tubes.
The easiest thing to do in this situation is to say “no thanks”.
Because we can drink without a straw right?!
There are also lots of options for reusable straws nowadays. Metal ones being the most popular.
2. Stop Buying Bottled Beverages.
Most drinks you can buy at the store come in plastic bottles. Convenient for companies but not for us trying to ditch the plastic.
Opt for drinks that are served in glass bottles or cardboard. Although a lot of cardboard drink bottles still contain a layer of plastic.
3. Take Your Own Shopping Bags.
A lot of countries around the world have begun to put a price on plastic bags in stores in hope to decrease the amount that are given away.
In the UK, you’ll be charged 5p for a plastic shopping bag which, to me, isn’t exactly much of a change.
Reusing these thin plastic bags is a good start, but why not buy a nice sturdy bag that you can use all the time knowing that it won’t fall apart halfway to the car.
Using your own bags is overall just a great way to reduce waste and finding cheap sturdy bags is easy too!
In fact, most stores will offer fabric bags for just a dollar!
4. Take Your Own Coffee Cups To Cafes.
The disposable cups given away at coffee shops might look like they're made from paper but they’re usually lined with a type of plastic resin called polyethylene. The materials are said to be recycled but most places, unfortunately, lack the infrastructure to do so.
For example, you can’t recycle the cups once they have been ‘contaminated’ with a beverage.
Keep cups, as everyone calls them, are a great item to own. There's different colours, sizes and shapes to suit everyone!
Most cafes/coffee shops will promote a small discount for taking in reusable cups and we all love a good discount - especially when it comes to a nice hot coffee.
And I’m pretty sure my hot drink stays warmer for longer in my keep cup.
5. Don’t Use Plasticware At Home.
If your household is like mine, then you will have a cupboard or draw specifically for boxes and containers.
Many, however, will be full of plastic.
Try and steer away from buying plastic containers, despite knowing that you will reuse them. The sad thing is, you’ll just be continuing to buy into the businesses of plastic and we don’t want them to grow.
Instead, look for containers that are made from glass. They’re sold pretty much everywhere and I personally think they’re a little more aesthetically pleasing.
There are also materials such as metal or bamboo that are popular with lunchboxes.
There’s plenty more containers that aren’t made of plastic and they’re usually very easy to find.
Glass jars are also really useful for food storage such as spices that might usually be sold in plastic bottles. Luckily you can buy spices and herbs in paper boxes now.
6. Swap Out Your Plastic Razor.
Plastic razors have been popular for years and it’s easy to see why. They’re cheap and easily accessible in most, if not all, supermarkets.
But throwing out these plastic items after only using them a couple of times will leave landfills growing with plastic that won’t disappear anytime soon.
Try finding a safety blazer where you only need to switch out the blade. Yes, they look like they’re only for men but trust me - they’re great.
There are more and more companies now that specialize in making these safety razors so that they attract more women.
They’re pricing is a little more expensive but it’s because they’re designed to last for a long time and thus end up being cheaper in the long run.
7. Use Reusable Food Wraps.
You have probably seen beeswax wraps being sold in more places as people are trying to cut down on their plastic food wraps.
However, being vegan, beeswax wraps don’t really appeal to me, or most vegans.
There are still a lot of options for vegan wraps though so don’t be disheartened!
They’re usually made from cotton or other types of wax. It might be easier to look for them online though because I know in my experience, most stores will favour the beeswax wraps.
8. Switch To A Non-Plastic Toothbrush.
Toothbrushes might seem really minor but think about how many toothbrushes you have owned in your lifetime.
But did you know that plastic toothbrushes take over 400 years to decompose??
Because of their ‘long life-span’, their presence on landfills just keep increasing. This also means a longer time to release chemicals into the air.
Well, it’s a good job that bamboo toothbrushes are now a thing - and popular too!
Be careful when looking for the bamboo alternative though, because they can sometimes be packed in plastic. Ironic, I know.
They’re also cheap too so there’s no need to worry about spending lots of extra money on a toothbrush.
So overall, trying to reduce the amount of plastic you use isn’t that difficult.
Even just slowly trying to switch out some products is a good start.
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