How to Build a Plastic Free Environment Around You
Plastic is choking our planet but we are still using it every day in different forms- bottles, packaging, containers, and everyday products. We know most of it is non-biodegradable and is a major environmental concern in current times. There is a need to create a plastic-free environment at home and all around us. Simple changes in our buying behavior can help reduce our plastic footprint.
The question is–How do we start?
We know plastic is adversely affecting our health and the planet, but still, we use it every day. It is all around us in the form of products and packaging. It stays around as it does not decompose quickly. It is polluting our oceans, filling up our landfills, harming wildlife, disturbing our ecological balance, and disrupting nature’s cycles. It Generates greenhouse gases that contribute to the extreme climatic changes of our planet.
Plastic is cheap to produce along with being economical and convenient to use. It has gradually become a part of our lives in more ways than we realize. Considering most of it, decomposes slowly and negatively affects the environment. We must curb the usage of plastic at all levels to save our environment from plastic pollution. We need to make a conscious effort to save our planet and adopt more eco-friendly products and practices in our life.
Measures to reduce plastic usage:
Consider making the following changes to take a step towards a plastic-free environment at home and around you:
1. Shopping: Reduce the consumption of single-use plastic by carrying eco-friendly reusable bags made of cloth or jute each time you step out to shop. Most of the single-use plastic is non-biodegradable and is the primary source of plastic pollution. To cut down on bringing in plastic packaging with your groceries, you can take along empty containers and boxes for bringing your meats and beverages.
2. Bottles and cutlery: Consider replacing plastic bottles with glass, steel, or copper ones to store water. You can carry your bottles whenever you step out to avoid buying plastic bottles. You can also carry your own reusable cutlery made of steel, bamboo or coconut shell to avoid plastic cutlery when eating out. Similarly, you can avoid plastic straws by carrying reusable glass, silicone, or bamboo straws.
3. Bathroom Products: You can promote a plastic-free environment at home by switching to natural bar soaps and store them in metal trays, to eliminate the need for plastic dispensers. When ordering your toiletries and beauty essentials opt for products that come in glass or metal bottles. Consider replacing plastic toothbrushes with ones made of bamboo.
4. Kitchen Products: Consider using bowls, mugs, cups made of coconut shells. These handcrafted, lightweight, durable utensils and perfect for everyday use. Glass and ceramic jars are better and healthy alternatives to plastic ones. You can carry your own boxes to avoid bringing in single-use plastic takeaway containers. You can even replace your dish sponges to eco-friendly scourers made of jute, cellulose, coconut coir, and walnut shells.
5. Fabrics: Ditch clothing made of synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, viscose, acrylic, and polyamide. These contain micro-plastics and pollute our oceans when you wash them. Switch to buying natural fabrics that are earth-friendly such as organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, silk, etc.
Takeaway:
You can start your journey towards sustainable living by adopting one or more of the above practices. Your smallest contribution towards saving the earth comes from building a plastic-free environment around you. Be mindful of buying plastic products and packaging and invest in eco-friendly options.
