By Christine C. Blue Ocean Society Volunteer
Plastic Free July may be whizzing by, but we still have an opportunity to join in the plastic-free global movement!
In my last blog post, we discussed a couple of easy solutions to decrease plastic waste in the kitchen; silicone dish covers and silicone reusable baggies. They are amazing! If we continue to look around in the kitchen there are so many more easy opportunities for change.
We can get rid of plastic dish soap bottles and use a bar dish soap. Most kitchen sponges contain plastic which can be easily switched to plastic-free scrubbers/dish brushes. There are plastic garbage bags made from post-consumer/recycled plastic. Food storage is another biggie. Try glass containers instead of plastic ones. Making this change is actually better for your health as well. Many studies show plastic containers leak harmful chemicals into your food. Try bringing a stainless steel container for leftovers when eating out.
Just imagine, every single plastic toothbrush that was ever made on the planet is still here! In fact, the 3.5 billion toothbrushes sold every year will take up to 500 years or more to decompose. Yikes!
This is just one of the reasons I made the bathroom my next step in reducing plastic. There are so many opportunities for improvement. A bamboo toothbrush is an excellent way to start. There are many plastic-free products to choose from: Silk dental floss in a glass bottle, toothpaste in an aluminum tube or tabs, mouthwash tabs, and shampoo & conditioner bars instead of bottles. Skincare products can be purchased in glass bottles or aluminum tins, and deodorant in a biodegradable paper tube. My newest favorite thing is a reusable metal razor, and I’ll never go back to disposable razors!
Now and then I have the feeling of being overwhelmed by the amount of plastic we use from day today. But it’s important to remember that it’s not perfection that is important. What is important is that we are more conscious of the choices we make regarding plastics, and we do the best we can with what we have. Every small change will make a difference.
*Simple Solutions for Plastic Pollution doesn’t end here!
- Simple Solutions for Plastic Pollution – Getting Started
- Simple Solutions for Plastic Pollution – Looking Beyond the Obvious
Sources:
- https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Plastic-and-Health-The-Hidden-Costs-of-a-Plastic-Planet-February-2019.pdf
- https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/06/story-of-plastic-toothbrushes/
