I get it…we’re all busy and it’s hard to get all of your tasks done each day, let alone remember to pack cutlery, water bottles, coffee mugs etc. However, when you stop and think…these are minute changes in your routine that can only have a positive impact on the planet and your health. Here are 7 quick difference making changes you can easily do.
1. Get a reusable cloth bag.
A single-use plastic bag is used for an average of 12 minutes before being thrown away. Every 60 seconds, about 2 million plastic bags are used around the world. That’s 3 trillion per year with only a tiny portion being recycled. Plastic can last forever in a landfill or the oceans.
2. Buy a reusable bottle.
Approximately 38 billion plastic water bottles are thrown away each year in the US alone. It takes up to six or seven times the water it takes to fill it, to make one single-use plastic water bottle. Studies show that plastic bottles can leak cancer-causing toxins into your water. An estimated 93% of Americans carry BPA in their bloodstreams. Look for a reusable steel, aluminum or glass bottle.
3. Quit chewing gum
Gum was originally made from tree sap called chicle which is a natural rubber, but now polyethylene and polyvinyl acetate, which are synthetic rubbers, are used in most gum. When you chew gum, you're actually chewing on plastic…gross!
4. Bring your own container
When you're picking up takeout or bringing home your restaurant leftovers, don’t accept the Styrofoam - bring your own reusable containers. When you order, ask if you can get the food placed in your own container. Most restaurants have no problem with it…it saves them money on packaging.
5. Avoid using plasticware
Try not to use disposable chopsticks, and cutlery. Instead start keeping a set of utensils in your bag, desk or car.
6. Pack lunches responsibly
Instead of packing snacks and sandwiches in ziplock bags, put them in reusable containers, or try beeswax wrappers. Get a cloth lunch bag. You can pack fresh fruit instead of single-serving fruit cups, and look for items like yogurt in glass containers which are great for reusing!
7. Spread the word.
There’s nothing wrong with talking to people about your choices. Offer up some tips or show off your cool reusable container. We get so wrapped up in our everyday life that we often need to be reminded several times before we make the small changes that lead to a larger impact.
By: John Stiver