Plastic is forever: the first steps to plastic-consciousness are in your hands.

Climate change is an issue many people worry about. This post is about converting those thoughts into actions that can make a difference.

Planet Earth has many problems. One of those is a synthetic material called plastic used in almost everything humans touch. Plastic contributes to greenhouse emissions, leeches chemicals into land and water ecosystems, and causes physiological harm to humans and animals. Unfortunately, plastic does not biodegrade, meaning it’ll be with us forever. And most plastic is not recycled, despite whatever the label might say. This means plastic is a compounding problem that’s not going away until we tackle it. I experienced this firsthand when I collected plastic for 12 months.

The long-term solution involves three major shifts.

• First, manufacturing and distribution need to stop production of unsustainable new plastic.
• Second, industries need to replace plastic with new sustainable materials that are equally durable, light and cheap.
• And finally, waste management needs to deal with the plastic we’ve already consumed.

These are remarkable challenges for scientists and governments. But to really get this moving in the right direction corporate adoption is necessary. After all, companies are using plastic to make things that we buy everyday. And this is where buyers can make a difference with our purchasing power.

I want people to be more plastic-conscious.

My endgame is not zero-plastic because that’s primarily a corporate supply side problem. Instead, I want more people to become plastic-conscious. This keeps the issue afloat in a self-empowering way that will, over time, change demand for plastic.

What’s plastic-conscious??? An ongoing mindset.

1. Are you aware how much plastic you handled this week?
2. Is there any small change you can make this week?

Try asking yourself these questions weekly for a month. You will be surprised what you learn. Even if you can’t immediately make any changes, just recognizing how much plastic you handle and dispose goes a long way (and helps with climate anxiety).

Here’s 4 practical ways to be more plastic-conscious.

1Is plastic material necessary? Plastic is essential for many items — but not everything. Plastic is everywhere because it’s cheap to manufacture and profitable to sell. But alternative materials perform the same or better and cost similar for lots of things. Here’s a few equivalents to consider:

• Plastic storage containers (like Tupperware) v. glass
• Plastic resuable bottles v. stainless steel
• Plastic toothbrushes v. bamboo
• Plastic toys v. wood

In addition to the environmental impact, studies have linked plastic exposure to male infertility and other health consequences. Yet we commonly buy and store food in plastic and give children plastic things that end up in their mouths.

Plastic-consciousness starts with questioning the assumption that everything needs to be plastic. A plastic teething toy is not necessary to soothe achy gums when a cold wet cloth works fine, is healthier, and it’s free.

When you shop, take a moment to reflect on whether the thing you are buying has plastic. This sounds banal and stupid, but trust me. After years of normalcy, plastic disappears into the background for all of us. I collected plastic for 12 months and I still miss common plastic items that we use daily — like toothbrushes.

Many plastic items have affordable and functional alternatives. For example, take these equivalents on Amazon: glass tupperware set ($28/18 pieces), stainless steel water bottle ($12), bamboo toothbrushes ($1/each), wooden toys (various). If you’re an online shopper, adding the terms “eco” or “sustainable” to your search query can help you discover alternatives.

For situations when buying plastic is necessary (there will be many), see #2 below.

2Does the plastic have to be new? Plastic is necessary for many things. When plastic is needed, challenge the assumption that new plastic is better. There may be used items in great condition that are suitable for your needs. This includes rentals, in addition to lower cost purchases or free giveaways. Try the Buy Nothing Project, Craigslist, Nextdoor, Facebook Marketplace, or Ruckify. Participating in your local secondhand community is better than adding demand for new plastic.

For situations when buying new plastic is necessary, see #3 and #4 below.

3Is the new plastic single-use packaging? Single-use plastic packaging is the worst. It’s also pervasive across the food and personal care industries. When you buy something packaged in plastic, challenge assumptions around quantity, packaging, and reuse. Here’s a few ideas to minimize your plastic footprint.

• Purchase larger quantities, if you have space and can afford it. Try the jumbo size version for personal care and food items. You are still consuming plastic packaging, but less of it, in the long run.
• Seek sustainable and refillable packaging, if you are willing to experiment. Swap out your normal bodywash, shampoo and conditioner containers with “soapbars” packaged in paper. Instead of typical plastic floss containers, look for floss refill spools, these are packaged in paper, lass longer, and take up less space. Beware of liquids like peanut butter, jelly, and maple syrup; these are often sold in plastic but many brands offer glass jars. Loop delivers the brands you like in sustainable packaging and when you’re done, they will clean, refill, and reuse the package. Similar models are followed by many companies, like Straus Creamery (refillable milk), Myro (refillable deodorant), Le Labo (refillable fragrance), Blueland (refillable cleaning supplies), Kjaer Weis (refillable makeup). Voting with your dollars is also great to increase demand for sustainable packaging and support companies investing in these models.
• Reuse new plastic, if you have the bandwidth. Ziplock bags can be rinsed and reused multiple times. I also save plastic bags from items like bread and cereal and use them instead of ziplock bags. Creativity goes a long way with plastic.

Finally, there will be many times when you buy plastic because you need to, you don’t have time, alternatives are too expensive, you forgot, or many other valid reasons. For those situations, see #4 below.

4Does the plastic give you lasting value? Not everyone has the circumstances to make lifestyle changes. We all have restraints of time, money, access, mental bandwidth, and joy. When you encounter plastic, appreciate the value it gives you.

For example, Trader Joes (which wraps most things in plastic) offers healthy food and time savings. Fast-food (also wrapped in plastic) is cheap and convenient. These offer lasting value for many people.

Considering if plastic gives you lasting value helps gauge when your circumstances have changed. But it’s also useful to remain anchored in our current world full of plastic. Using this approach, I stopped buying birthday balloons because they offered only momentary joy. But I continue to buy paint and markers (both involve lots of plastic), because they offer new skills, appreciation for art, and happiness in the making.

Plastic is forever, don’t forget that.

Plastic-consciousness is about understanding and changing your relationship with plastic — not a zero-plastic destination. Do what you can, when you can. Collectively, this change in consumer behavior will make a difference.

Like my writing? Check out my other essays at https://medium.com/@artlawdevi or www.urmikadevi.com.