ECO trend: choose the good side and we give up plastic

A modern man surrounded by plastic. It is used for food packing, hygiene products, household items, used in a car, computer, smartphone. And you might even eat it if you like chewing gum. Plastic is convenient, easy to manufacture, beautifully keeps the freshness of our products. It is wonderful – until you realize that after it has fulfilled its function, it is almost impossible to get rid of it.

The scale of the problem

The packaging often says that the plastic it is made of will be recycled. But this does not mean that a plastic bottle of milk can be turned into the same bottle. Often, it can only be converted into a plastic deck, which is not subject to further processing. Since the 1950s, when this group of materials began its victorious course on the planet, 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced. If this movement is not stopped, by 2050 this number will reach 34 billion tons. And all the plastic that does not burn (after all, it is made of oil!), all without exception, does not go anywhere, does not decompose. It often ends the earthly journey in the oceans. About 100,000 marine life and about a million seabirds die each year from the plastic they swallowed. Plymouth University published a study in 2016 that said a third of fish caught in the United Kingdom contains microparticles of plastic, and that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. That is, what we have thrown away in the trash goes back into our own food chain.

How we can help the planet

Avoid packaged products

Focusing on maximum customer convenience encourages supermarkets to use more and more packaging, even when it is not necessary. Do not buy goods packed in plastic. This will allow the manufacturers of these products to understand that consumers prefer environmentally friendly packaging. Do not put vegetables and fruits in packages, the sticker can be added to the product itself.

Do not use plastic bags

The main disadvantage of plastic bags is that they are used once or twice and then thrown away. As we already know, packages are not recycled but sent to landfill. In order for our planet not to turn into one big garbage can, we can abandon the endless purchase of packages in the store and get a reusable cloth bag. It can be found both in the grocery store and in the clothing store.

Buy in bulk and by weight

Avoid buying small quantities of packaged goods and packing in non-organic containers. Or at least choose cellulose packaging.

Do not use plastic tableware

Discard disposable tableware. After all, washing a few plates, glasses and appliances in our time is not such a difficult task, and they look much more beautiful than disposable ones that cannot be recycled.

Give a second life to a bottle

Use the water bottle repeatedly, do not buy a new one each time. Just pour from a large bottle into a small one as much water as you need on the way. Better yet – give up bottled water at all, take filter water with you.

Instead of disposable cups, choose thermocup

Count how many times a day you run to Starbucks for coffee and, accordingly, how many paper cups you use. Maybe it’s time to get a special reusable glass? Some cafes even give a small discount if you ask to pour coffee into your cup.

Refuse the straws

Warn the waitress or the staff of the Drive-Thru cafes that you don’t need one. Talk to the barman at your local pub or bar, suggest not to put the straw in the drink by default, leaving it at the discretion of the customer. Tell about an alternative solution, such as bamboo straws, for example.

Choose the best for the baby

When a baby born in the family, young parents want to give only the best. So why do they buy pieces of plastic with unknown composition? It is quite possible to replace these second-class toys with analogues made of natural materials: wood, wool, natural textiles.

Surround yourself with the right things

What is your comb made of? What about the clock? Are accessories made of plastic too? Of course, plastic is cheap to manufacture, but it never compares to touching noble wood, glass or metal. Do not surround yourself with low-grade things, as this affects your self-esteem and how your life will end up.