93 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 60 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing Summarizing
Exclusive to OpEd News:
Life Arts    H4'ed 4/19/13

Six Ways To Lose The Plastic

By       (Page 1 of 1 pages)   7 comments

Cheri Roberts
Follow Me on Twitter     Message Cheri Roberts
Become a Fan
  (7 fans)


(Image by Earth Day Festival Bismarck)   Details   DMCA

by Earth Day Festival Bismarck

Most of us want to go greener than we are, but often we get so overwhelmed by the big changes we   want   to make that we forget about beginning the little changes we   can   make. The impact of small changes can be big too! Just like pocket change, it all adds up.

Here are six small ways you can lose the plastic right now to begin reducing your environmental impact at home, work, and school.

1. Stop using plastic (and paper) store bags. Buy some canvas shopping bags. Yeh, yeh, you keep meaning to get some, but somehow you have still not gotten around to it, right? They are inexpensive, have a long life, are often made from recycled materials and they are biodegradable. This is such a simple swap why wouldn't pick some up today?

2. Stop using plastic produce bags. Really. You don't need them. In fact, most people throw them away as soon as they get home and put their groceries away. Your lettuce leaves are not going to contaminate your tomatoes. Put a handheld grocery store basket into a cart. Use it to store all of your veggies while you are shopping and then have them put into your canvas bags at the check-out.

3. Stop buying excessively packaged products and don't forget to write to the companies and tell them why you are no longer buying their products. From toys to electronics -- and every day consumables, companies use way too much packaging. Especially plastics which contain known carcinogens.

4. Stop using disposable plastic storage bags (or at lease reduce your use of them) for lunches, snacks, left-overs, etc. Instead invest in multi-size sealable and reusable containers. So what if you have to wash them out? Your food stays fresher and intact longer. How many Zip-locks do you use in a week?

5. Stop using plastic straws. Don't buy them and use them at home and whenever you are out, simply tell your server you do not want one. Keep a reusable stainless steel straw in your purse or glove box to use if you happen to go through a drive-thru and order a drink.

6. Stop buying disposable water bottles. Get yourself a good reusable water bottle that you like both the look and feel of. Our addiction to plastic water bottles alone amounts to about 1.5 million tons of plastic waste each year!

In 2012, 31 million tons of plastic waste was generated. Almost 14 million tons of it was containers and packaging. Only 8 percent of that was recovered and recycled. Recycling and reusing has come a long way however, not far enough. You too have a responsibility in this process. The suggestions above are easy, inexpensive (or free), and really don't require much more of your time or effort. The best part is you can start today!

 

 

 

Well Said 3   Interesting 3   Valuable 2  
Rate It | View Ratings

Cheri Roberts Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Cheri has worked in media for more than 20 years in one capacity or another. Her media years were spent mostly in broadcast radio; from being a live on-air radio host to creating and implementing engaging and effective marketing and promotional (more...)
 
Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Follow Me on Twitter     Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Michael Hastings: A Non-Conspiracy Theory

Do You Have a Social Media Burial Plan?

The A-"bility" of Social Media

Medicine Money; a Prescription for Legal Bribery

Brett McGurk, Embarrass-ador to Iraq

Why the Petraeus affair matters... SEX

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend