14 simple ways to reduce plastic waste

Plastic is almost everywhere in our daily lives.

Food and food packaged or put in plastic bags, packaging, cars, phones and computers are also indispensable, and you can even chew it every day in the form of gum. … And most plastic is claimed to be recyclable, but in reality it often cannot or is recycled into something of a lesser quality.

So how serious is the problem with plastic? Of the 33 million tons of plastic waste generated in the US each year, only 7% is recycled. This plastic waste ends its life in landfills, beaches, rivers and oceans and contributes to serious problems such as creating the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch – a landfill with the size of a continent - where the amount of plastic exceeds the amount of plankton. In addition, most plastic is also made from oil.

But luckily, there are simple steps we can all take to dramatically reduce the amount of plastic waste you create.

Here are some suggestions to help you contribute to building a greener and cleaner world:

1. Change the habit of using plastic straws

Using a straw has certain advantages, but creates a large amount of waste. One of the simplest ways to reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in landfills is to say no to plastic straws. Instead of using a plastic straw, you can choose to use a stainless steel straw or a reusable bamboo straw.

This way is quite simple. You just need to tell the salesperson or waiter that you don't need to use plastic straws. And if you bring your own straw, the restaurant will definitely stop serving you with plastic straws. Rest assured that with proper storage and cleaning, reusable straws can be reused many times without worrying about problems such as mold and bacteria.

2. Limit chewing gum

Traditionally, chewing gum is made from the sap of the chicle tree, a natural rubber. But when scientists created synthetic rubber, polyethylene and polyvinyl acetate, many manufacturers started using it to replace natural rubber in most chewing gum because of its economy. So, when you eat gum, you're not only chewing on plastic, but you're also chewing on toxic plastic because polyvinyl acetate is made from vinyl acetate, a chemical thought to cause tumors in animals. Rats used for experiments, not to mention the risk of dental problems if you chew bad quality gum.

3. Buy items with paper packaging instead of plastic bottles/boxes

When buying detergent or other detergent, choose the same product but in a paper box instead of a plastic bottle (if available). Cardboard can be easily recycled and made into more products than plastic.

4. Buy in bulk

When buying foods and foods such as rice, pasta, beans, nuts, cereals, etc., if you choose to buy in bulk full of reusable bags or containers, you will save money on both. money and packaging.

5. Use a reusable glass jar

You can buy a variety of foods that are built in glass jars/jars instead of plastic, including spaghetti sauce, peanut butter, salsa and applesauce, etc. Instead of using plastic bags to take home and dispose of them. Go, use the jars for food or take them with you when you buy foods that are sold in bulk. If you have plastic containers when you buy some other products, if they are healthy, don't throw them away, wash them and use them to store food.

(Photo: Flickr/CC)

6. Use reusable bottles or utensils like chopsticks, spoons and forks

Bottled drinking water generates 1.5 million tons of plastic waste each year, and these bottles require 47 million gallons of oil to produce, according to Food & Water Watch. Therefore, if you fill a reusable bottle with water, you will help these plastic bottles not have to end their life in landfills or end up in the ocean.

Another way is to bring a reusable cup to the coffee shop and have the clerk pour your coffee into your own cup and bring it to your desk instead of using plastic or paper cups. used once. According to statistics, American office workers alone use an average of about 500 disposable cups per year.

Similarly, consider reducing or eliminating disposable tableware such as chopsticks, knives, spoons, forks, etc. Just by changing the habit of using cups, you have helped to reduce a lot of unnecessary waste.

7. Bring your own containers if possible

Whether you're buying takeout or wrapping up leftovers at a restaurant after dining, be sure to bring your own reusable containers. When ordering takeout, inform the restaurant that you can pick up food placed in your own containers. Most restaurants will accept that request.

8. Use matches

If you need to light a candle, bonfire or light a bonfire, etc., opt for matches instead of disposable lighters. Cheap plastic devices can sit in landfills for years and have even been found in the stomachs of dead birds. If you're used to using lighters, choose a lighter made of metal that can pump fuel to be reused many times.

9. Limit storage by freezing food

The fact is that storing food in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator or freezer will bring convenience to us, but it requires a lot of plastic packaging to wrap food. Changing frozen food habits can be difficult, but consider it because in addition to the environmental benefits it brings, there are other obvious benefits – you will eat less processed food. more readily available and avoid the chemicals in their plastic packaging.

Plastic waste is everywhere on our planet.

10. Return of reusable merchandise containers

If you already have a plastic container for fruit, when you go to the market to buy fruit or tomatoes, you can bring them to store. And if you don't need to use the boxes that the seller has packaged, you can even ask the seller to take the boxes back so they can reuse them.

11. Use cloth diapers

There's no denying the convenience of diapers/diapers. However, each year, the amount of waste from diapers of young children is quite huge. According to the EPA, in the US, people throw away 7.6 billion pounds of disposable diapers each year. In addition, it takes about 80,000 pounds of plastic and more than 200,000 trees a year to produce disposable diapers for children in the United States. By simply switching to cloth diapers, you will not only reduce the amount of waste from your baby's belongings, but you will also save a lot of money.

12. Self-squeezing and squeezing juice

Instead of buying pre-packed juice in plastic bottles, make your own juice or eat fresh fruit. Not only will this reduce plastic waste, it's also better for you because you'll get more vitamins and antioxidants.

13. Use homemade cleaners with green-clean ingredients

You don't need many bottles containing bleach, chemical cleaners to clean windows, floors, etc. if you have some ingredients on hand like baking soda and vinegar. So you'll save some space, save a little money, and avoid harmful substances by making your own cleaning products.

14. Prepare food properly

If your lunch box is full of disposable plastic bags, it's time for a change. Instead of packing snacks and sandwiches in bags, put them in a reusable container at home, or try lunch items like reusable snack bags. You can also opt for fresh fruit instead of a single serving and buy items like yogurt and pudding in bulk, split them up and take a portion to put in your lunch box. .