How To Reduce The Use Of Plastic On A Daily Basis?

Plastic is present in the composition of many products, even the most unsuspected. This is why it is becoming a real problem for the planet. But we can reduce its use.

Plastic is a material that is found everywhere and that we use almost every moment. We find it in all kinds of objects, packaging, building materials, accessories, even in textiles and in some cosmetic products. However, it is possible to reduce the use of plastic.

Why is this needed? In this article, we answer your questions and also offer you some very practical measures to apply in your daily life.

Plastic and pollution

According to the famous environmental organization Greenpeace,  each year, an amount of plastic equivalent to 1,200 times the weight of the Eiffel Tower is released into the seas and oceans. This number is not the only problem; it is actually only a part.

Indeed, the most worrying aspect around the issue of plastic is that, once used, it takes a long time to decompose. For example, a plastic bottle can take up to 500 years to biodegrade.

In addition, the global production of plastic is in the millions of tonnes per year and we continue to buy products of all kinds and throw them away anywhere. The amount of waste keeps increasing.

Most plastics end up landing in seas and oceans around the world, severely damaging ecosystems. The impact is therefore dramatic. And even if recycling is a good action to reduce production,  the ideal would really be to reduce its daily consumption.

How to reduce the use of plastic?

The measures that we present to you below consist of very simple practices that will reduce the consumption of plastic products (packaging, utensils, bags, etc.) without making any effort and without feeling like you are missing out.

Opt for fabric bags at the supermarket

More and more establishments are no longer issuing free bags to their customers. If a person requests it, then they have to pay.

The objective is then to create a collective conscience and to help reduce the consumption of plastic. In addition, this measure allows people to get used to taking their own bags (fabric or other materials). Do not use and then throw away, as was the case before.

The tote bags have gained popularity and, thanks to them, today there are models with different types of design. Plain, with prints, etc. There is something for every taste !

In addition,  by 2021, lightweight and very light non-biodegradable plastic bags will be banned completely. More precisely those which are the most fragile and the most toxic. This measure will not only be adopted in France, but also in Spain and Italy. The final objective is to achieve an application of this rule throughout the European Union.

On the other hand, whether for the sake of savings or ecological awareness, it is much better to opt for fabric bags every time we go shopping. We thus considerably reduce the impact on the environment.

Buy in bulk and avoid excessive packaging

If you think about it, it’s even cheaper to buy in bulk. We only take what we need and we can choose. On the other hand, packaged products contain a lot of plastic (trays, packaging, etc.) which will end up in landfills and then in seas and oceans.

When weighing your fruits and vegetables, avoid wrapping them in a plastic bag. Instead, stick the price tag directly to the skin. Then, to take them home, place them in a fabric bag.

Avoid cleaning products packaged in plastic

To avoid using cleaning products and throwing away the plastic packaging when finished, it is better to opt for homemade and natural products.

For example, certain products such as black soap, vinegar, baking soda, have always been used for washing and cleaning. Thus, you use environmentally friendly products, you avoid the use of plastic and you also obtain equally impeccable cleaning results.

Check the composition of cosmetic products

If you didn’t know,  many creams and other beauty products contain plastic microspheres. In addition, they are the most dangerous for the environment because they can be easily ingested by animals and end up poisoning them.

These are nylon, polyethylene, and polypropylene microspheres that are commonly found in creams and exfoliating products.

Therefore, it is better to opt for natural cosmetics that do not contain plastic in their composition. Another great idea is to make your own homemade creams.

Recycle to reduce the use of plastic

The separation of waste is very easy. To do this, we put all the paper and cardboard in one bin, the plastic and aluminum in another, then the glass in a last. Some countries, like Switzerland, are very specific and even separate the different types of plastic: PET packaging, aluminum and other types of plastic.

Reducing the use of plastic: conclusion

By reducing the use of plastic, we also minimize the impact on the environment. Even if we have the feeling that our action is not very visible,  it is enormous and must not cease under any circumstances. Only in this way will we get ever cleaner seas and oceans. On the other hand, this action prevents the production of plastic from increasing with the corresponding CO2 emissions.

Finally, it is enough to change certain lifestyle habits to effectively reduce the use of plastic on a daily basis. We just need to find the smarter way to find various uses for the items we already own.