Plastics. This once magical material is now sadly damaging our planet and choking our waterways. According to Condorferries, between 8 to 14 million tonnes of plastic enter our oceans every year with Britain contributing an estimated 1.7 million tons of plastic annually.
A lot has been said and done to make the dream of a plastic-free world a reality. If you haven't started the journey yet, don't worry, it's never too late. In this article, we are sharing five top tips to get you en route to a plastic-free life. Come on board.
1. Choose Your Brands Wisely
When plastics were first introduced into the fold, most brands went along with the trend. But finding truly sustainable and plastic-free brands isn’t the easiest of tasks.
However, not all plastic is bad. It all comes down to what we do with the plastic once we’ve used it. How it was created will determine how it can be recycled or reused. Always be on the search for brands that offer plastic-free products and refillable packaging.
For instance, instead of using plastic-based beauty products and packaging, you should be keen on brands like Ami Iyok who use alternatives to plastic packaging. Some brands use recycled plastic in their products while others are passionate about the ocean and only use naturally derived materials such as leather and have a strict plastic-free policy.
These are brands that you should be intent on finding. Making use of these products would be a great first step towards a plastic-free life.
2. Bring Your Own Bag
This is one of the easiest things you can do if you are keen on going plastic-free. Simply take 3-4 reusable bags with you wherever you go shopping. This will immediately cut out all of your plastic shopping bag waste.
On the other hand, these don’t have to be the canvas, environmentally friendly kind in case you don’t have any. Even reusing plastic bags from your kitchen cupboard will still help reduce waste.
Most foods come with excess plastic packaging. Always try shopping at your local farmers market, butchers, or at a supermarket that sells food loosely. Take your own containers and reusable bags when you go to the grocery store, butchers or greengrocers and put your product into those instead of using single-use ones.
3. Opt for reusable cutlery and straws
If you're normally the first person to choose a plastic fork rather than a metal one, you better rethink that. As most plastic cutleries are too small to recycle, they just add to our ever-growing landfill.
However, there is a way around it. Always go for an eco-friendly travel cutlery set, instead of plastic ones. As small an improvement as it seems, it goes a long way to that you get to the ultimate goal.
4. Ditch Plastic Bottles and Coffee Cups
Single-use plastic water bottles are one of the most common items in the world. Most people like the convenience of it. However, according to Marinelitter, there will be more plastic bottles in the oceans than fish by 2050, so we need to fix this together.
For starters, don’t forget to take your own reusable water bottle and your own cup when you go out, this is a small but mighty move when it comes to reducing the number of plastics we use daily.
Also, if you regularly find yourself buying takeaway coffee, take your clean thermos with you and avoid adding to the styrofoam and plastic-lined rubbish pile. Cafe businesses usually appreciate not having to buy cups to hand out every time you get a coffee, and the environment appreciates being cared for, too.
5. Assess Your Recycling Habits
Lastly, you need to be aware of and implement the right recycling habits. Only 14% of recyclable plastic is recycled. Even worse is the fact that almost 50% of the recycled plastic is never actually recycled because it’s not been properly disposed of.
Always look at your local council’s recycling policy before you embark on the plastic-free journey. If not, you may be completely confused about what to do with things like bubble wrap, which can jam recycling machines if not put in the right place.
To be in the know, start by reading up, it’s important. Learning how to go plastic-free isn’t that complicated once you start doing the research.