Here are 18 things you can do to reduce plastic waste this Plastic Free July:
- Bring your own shopping bag. If necessary, use paper bags.
- Purchase secondhand.
- Buy loose & in bulk. Buy items you purchase often in bulk with little to no packaging. Look for sustainable packaging options like glass or cardboard.
- Use cloth diapers. 7.6 billion pounds of diapers are discarded in the U.S. each year.
- Stop buying bottled water.
- Ditch straws. If needed, use paper or metal alternatives.
- Make your own cleaning products. Use nontoxic ingredients to improve indoor air quality and eliminate the need for multiple plastic bottle cleaners.
- Skip products with microbeads. These beads pass through water treatment plants and cause harm to animals.
- Use reusable containers. Skip plastic baggies or wrap. Use green, durable alternatives such as glass jars, cloth produce bags, or beeswax wrap.
- Recycle!
- Cook like a natural. If you cook with less processed food, you’ll reduce packaging waste.
- Shave smart. Eliminate plastic disposal razors. Use razors with replaceable blades.
- Keep a zero-waste kit. When planning a day out, pack your travel mug, metal container, jar for leftovers, napkin, and real utensils.
- Use natural sponges. Use cotton rags or cellulose sponges like loofah, hemp, or bamboo.
- Skip K-cups! Grind your own coffee or have it ground at the store.
- Shop at a farmer’s market. Buy fresh, local, unpackaged produce!
- Don’t trash it! Compost it. Composting reduces plastic garbage bags and lowers CO2 emissions. Composting helps grow unpackaged food.
- Refuse stuff. Tell your server you don’t want a straw or you brought your own cutlery or takeout container.
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