Plastic Free July
It seems that every week arrives with a new report on the severity of plastic pollution in our ocean. It is an urgent and growing problem that requires local, national, and international action to solve, but as individuals we can also make a difference. Learning about political initiatives and making our voices heard through community action and voting is of great importance and so is leading our lives as an example; working toward a less wasteful world.
One effort to get individuals thinking about their everyday habits is Plastic Free July. Started in Australia, Plastic Free July encourages people to eliminate single-use plastic items from their life for one month. With a defined goal in mind, it’s easier to make changes. If a month sounds too long, try one week. You will undoubtedly find that at least some of the actions you take will fit into your life long term.
What can you do? What can you change? Here’s a short list of specific actions you can take to reduce plastic pollution, while also reducing our use of petroleum products, greenhouse gas emissions, and landfill space! Since much of our day-to-day experience with disposable plastic involves food, that’s where we will start.
Eating and Drinking Out
Get a snazzy travel mug and use it. Yes, it’s something to carry with you but it will take the weight of plastic pollution off your shoulders. Nearly every café knows what to do with these, and if they don’t you can help them learn.
If you’re eating out, can you splurge for a place that uses real dishes and tableware?
Keep a fork in your bag, or get a little folding travel fork to put in your pocket. Tell restaurants that you don’t need disposable utensils. Choose take out restaurants that package in paper rather than in plastic. You can even bring your own container and ask them to put your food into it rather than into the disposable container.
Carry a reusable water bottle. Save money, save the ocean, drink tap water. Most of us are fortunate to live where the water that comes out of the faucet is safe and clean. Why not drink it?
Say no to plastic straws whenever you can. If you compare all the resources that went into making it and the potential for harm once you’re done using it, that straw is not worth it.
Shopping
Bring your own shopping bags to the store. Many people have already incorporated this action into their lives. If you have, you know how something that may have seemed like an inconvenience initially will quickly become an easy habit. And it makes a difference. Keep your bags by the door or in the car, wash them when they’re dirty, and do it all over again.
Buy food in bulk instead of buying products in plastic bags and boxes. Bulk buying is certainly easier in some communities than others, most have a store with some bulk bins of staple goods. Buy or make some small, lightweight cloth bags to fill rather than using the plastic bags that are provided. Or, ask your store if they can subtract a tare weight on reusable jars. Then you can bring in a jar, get it pre-weighed, fill it with your flour, nuts, beans, crackers, chocolate chips, whatever, and then pay for only the food and not the jar. The jar goes neatly into your pantry when you get home.
Use cloth bags instead of plastic produce bags for fruits and vegetables, or don’t use any bags at all. Buy or make lightweight cloth bags to fill with lettuce, apples, onions, berries. Most produce can just be put directly into your reusable grocery bag. Yes, the clerk can still weigh items even if they’re not all bagged up together.
Make your own iced tea or put a jug of water in the fridge with some lemon or orange or cucumber slices. You probably don’t need those plastic bottles of juice and soda and the ocean and your wallet will be healthier for it.
What are other ways we can prevent plastic waste? Please let us know. In the meantime, find more great tips from these California bloggers, writers, activists:
https://zerowastechef.com/
http://myplasticfreelife.com/
http://thelastplasticstraw.org/
Inspiration for why we should reduce plastic waste:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ri0RAsctYo