A lot of people underestimate the problem of plastic waste in the world. However, the issue is critical. If you leave some organic products in a landfill, they will degrade rapidly and supplement the ground with micronutrients. Alternatively, organic waste can become food for animals, birds, and insects.
However, no organisms consume plastic. Also, this material requires hundreds of years to be degraded. Unfortunately, these days, more than two thousand landfills accept millions of tons of plastic annually.
Moreover, there is a floating island in the Pacific Ocean that is made of plastic waste only. Its area is roughly 400 million acres (1.6 million square kilometers).
The growing amount of recycling factories won’t help us change the footprint if we don’t stop wasting millions of tons of plastic every year. In the post below, you will find the top ways to reduce plastic use in everyday life, which can help save the planet.
Utilize a Reusable Bottle
Disposable water bottles are common for all people. People use roughly 70 million plastic bottles a day all around the world. We use bottles for several minutes to a few days and waste them. However, the Earth will require more than 500 years to degrade even one small plastic bottle.
If you want to reduce the plastic footprint, start utilizing a reusable bottle. It shouldn’t be manufactured from metal, glass, or wood. Just try not to waste several plastic bottles every day.
Get Rid of Plastic Toothbrushes
To keep teeth and mouth hygiene properly, we need to replace toothbrushes with new ones every month. Most of them are produced of plastic and appear in landfills as a consequence. Fortunately, these days a lot of manufacturers produce wooden toothbrushes that can be degraded in a few years.
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Avoid Plastic Straws
It’s very convenient to use plastic straws to drink cocktails. Moreover, they’re super cheap, so that eateries share plastic straws for free. However, if you want to change the world, start using metal or ceramic straws. In such a way, you will help to reduce plastic waste and spread a modern trend.
Use Paper or Fabric Bags
Disposable plastic bags take a large share of the world’s plastic waste. Some progressive countries apply a recycling tax on plastic bags that motivate people to avoid purchasing them due to a high price.
Anyway, don’t be shy to ask for paper bags in stores. Also, you can bring reusable plastic or fabric bags to carry products from a store. Alternatively, you can go for purchases with a backpack. It will also be very convenient to carry your purchases in a backpack.
Bring Personal Coffee Mug
Even though most coffee shops offer drinks in cardboard cups, they have a thin plastic coating. Such a cup requires five years to be degraded. If you want to save the environment, feel free to bring your cup, purchasing some takeaway coffee. Also, a lot of bars offer discounts for clients who bring their mugs.
Avoid Plastic Packaging for Products
A lot of manufacturers pack prepared food in plastic containers as it’s more convenient and cheap. Nevertheless, to help the planet, you should avoid products in plastic containers.
For instance, choose eggs in cardboard cases only. If you need to purchase milk or juice, stick to glass bottles or waxed cardboard packs.
Forget about Plastic Cutlery
It’s super convenient to use disposable cutlery. Plastic forks, spoons, and knives are lightweight, cheap, and can be used one-time only. It erases the need to clean and carry them.
However, even a small disposable fork will take hundreds of years to become degraded. Therefore, try to use metal cutlery, even if it’s less convenient.
Use Wooden Pegs
Plastic pegs can be used a lot of times. However, they don’t last forever, and most of them become wasted fast. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that wooden pegs will last longer than plastic ones. Nevertheless, wood requires less than ten years to become degraded, which is a great advantage over plastic.
Recycle Plastic
If there is no option to avoid plastic usage due to the absence of alternatives, don’t forget to recycle waste responsibly. Sort it and put plastic waste into corresponding containers only.
This way of waste utilization is very effective. Countries like Germany, Austria, and South Korea recycle more than half of waste.
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Concluding Thoughts
There is no need to be a superhero to save the planet. Start with reducing your plastic waste by following the recommendations above. The tips will help you save the environment from hundreds of pounds of plastic waste in landfills and oceans.