Reduce your plastic use: one room at a time
It’s affordable, it’s versatile, and it’s an item few people can live without. Although these items are designed to be thrown away after a single use, this item does not disappear. Guess what it is? It is our beloved plastic!
There is no doubt about the excellent use of plastic products that have made our lives easier. Products like helmets, car seats, and medical equipment (just to name a few) are essential items that not only improve, but also save our lives. We can call them a “good plastic”.
The plastic that I am going to talk about today is the superfluous plastic. As you read this article, chances are high that it is present near you! Turn right, then left, do you see any pens, food containers? Nope? Try again! Now, do you see a computer or a mobile? Maybe mouse or keyboard? I think the answer is obvious now. So where am I going with this? The answer is quite obvious. Bad plastics are everywhere! It’s like looking at your own nose every day. Although you observe it at all times, however, just like your own body, you also tend to ignore this bad plastic.
Considering that no one (not even me. I can’t lose my job!) is going to stop using a cell phone or a computer, I’ll go through the house room by room highlighting what disposable plastic can be found and definitely offer some solution (practiced by me) to reduce the use of it.
Plastic containers: let’s start with the kitchen. Nowadays everyone has had a microwavable plastic container to store leftover food. Without a doubt, storing food is good and the container works as it should. There is a catch though, the shelf life of this container is quite short according to usability. When the time comes, once her beloved container cracked and broke, then she, without a second thought, threw it in the trash. And there goes your $10 for eternity a month from now!
These containers are not only quite easy to break but also cause many health risks. When you store your food in the plastic container, the plastic releases unhealthy chemical toxins into the food. Keep using this plastic container and I’m sure in a few months you’ll have to go to the doctors. Trust me, I was there too!
What should you do? Let me tell you what I did! After I got back from the doctors, I went to the supermarket and bought a food grade steel container. They cost me a little more and so do you, however they are sturdy and not as flimsy as a plastic container. They are super easy to clean, I can easily put them in the freezer. I’ve been using them for almost a year now and I think I’ll be able to give them to my grandkids too! Although it is not possible to use them inside a microwave, however, it is quite easy to transfer the food to a plate or serving bowl before reheating.
Food packaging: We all have to eat, however, sometimes it is quite impossible to keep a good distance between plastic containers. When I go to the supermarket, I sometimes stare at food and think, “Food producers might be obsessed with single-use packaging!” Yes, it would be a great idea for everyone to go to the local farmer’s store and buy food and vegetables covered in mud in a jute bag. However, most of us live in the city and to shop at the farmers market we have to travel even miles. If you’re cool and excited about it, I’d say “Don’t do it.” Since air pollution can be just as bad as plastic pollution itself. In this situation, you can use your free speech right against overpackaging.
You can also do some of what I usually do. After completing the transaction, you can remove the plastic and throw it in the bin in front of an authorized person. This is a good way to promote a non-violent protest against over-packaging.
Cleaning Products – This one is pretty frustrating – cleaning products usually come in a bottle and obviously you can’t make your own eco-friendly bottle. However, there is a way. Have you ever heard of Ecover? If you haven’t, you can use our good old internet to gather information! They are practically a trend these days. You can find them in almost all supermarkets. What’s so great about it? Well, they are committed to using 100% renewable material and this goes a long way in building a healthy and green future.
So there you have it – just three suggestions for how you can conquer disposable plastic in your kitchen. I’ll be back next week with ideas to lessen the plastic devil in other parts of the house.