How to Do Your Bit in the War Against Plastic
Would you be surprised to know that man-made plastic materials have been found at the bottom of the deepest trench in the most remote part of the Indian Ocean? To say that this is disappointing is an understatement, and it shows how callous the human race can be in the way that they treat their home planet. Some types of plastic can take hundreds of years to degrade, but people continue to use the material while being oblivious to this type of footprint. However, you can make a difference starting today by cutting down on your use of plastic, and in combination, this approach can certainly make a difference. Where should you start?
Too Much of a Good Thing
There's no doubt that plastic is convenient and was a revolutionary invention when it first came onto the market. It allowed manufacturers to package food, drinks and other consumables for single use, in the knowledge that the material would be thrown away and ideally recycled.
Create Your Own Packaging
You can put pressure on manufacturers to come up with alternatives if you avoid buying anything that is wrapped or presented in plastic packaging. When you go to the food store you should always bring your own bags rather than relying on the facility to provide them. If you must buy something that is wrapped in plastic, make sure it's made from recyclable materials at a minimum.
Filter Instead
Bottled water is often touted as being the healthy alternative, and in many cases, it may be a better solution than tap water. However, you should think about investing in a water filter and use some glass bottles at home instead. These can be used again and again as they are easy to clean, and you can break yourself of this cycle as well.
Don't Drink the Junk
You can make a big dent in this industry by refusing to drink any of those "junk" beverages that fill up row after row of shelves at the supermarket. They're all full of sugar and inherently bad for you anyway, and they will be packaged in single-use plastic bottles. It's far better for you to train your family to eat fruit instead and simply rely on filtered water to quench your thirst.
Avoid Plastic Straws
You may have noticed that some pubs or restaurants are moving away from plastic straws and using alternatives that are made out of toughened paper instead. Don't be one of the millions of people across the country who use straws every day if they're still made from plastic, and remember, there's no real reason to use this product at all if you think about it.
Never Falter
Sometimes you will need to buy plastic in one of its many shapes and forms, no matter what. If so, always make sure that you send it to a recycling plant so that you can sleep better at night.