In the last article, some of the impacts that plastic has on the oceans were mentioned. Today, we bring you tips to reduce it, especially this Christmas season. Therefore, we advise you to:
Replace the non-obvious ? I'm not pointing out plastic bags that can be replaced by cloth bags, capable of being reused. I'm talking, for example, about replacing toothbrushes with brushes made from other, less harmful materials (bamboo, for example). Another strong example is to banish disposable plastic bottles from our daily lives, and, instead of them, start using a ?canteen? or in other words, a bottle that can be reused, preferably made of glass. It is more beneficial for the planet and for us, given that the plastic in these bottles does not always have positive impacts on our health (after exposure to the sun, for example).
Give preference to reusable containers ? still with Along the same lines as the previous tip, another smart way to reduce plastic is to choose washable and reusable containers for transporting and storing food. Their durability and the possibility of not producing waste while using them are strong points to take into account when choosing them.
Decorative Recycling ? another creative option is to use some of the plastic that would otherwise go to waste in home decor. With some patience and a taste for DIY, it is possible to transform used packaging into excellent decorative pieces ? you can find interesting suggestions for this on sites like YouTube and Pinterest.
Christmas bows and wrapping - without a doubt, during this festive season, much of our spending on plastic is due to gift wrapping and bows. Although we can make some wrappings in paper, we often receive our gifts in bags and even wrapped in glamorous plastic wrap. An alternative suggestion would be to replace any wrapping paper with magazine or newspaper paper, which makes the gift, in addition to being creative, environmentally friendly. Another option is to make "bags" out of various cardboard packaging, such as cereals! Regarding bows, there are also lots of interesting ideas on how to replace them (have you ever heard of origami?!). In addition to getting much more personalized packaging, we are contributing to the greater good of our Planet!
Reduce frozen ? this set of products are responsible for a considerable share of plastic associated with food products. Preferring fresh products and freezing them later or cooking them ourselves makes all the difference in terms of reducing plastic in our daily lives.
Use matches ? prefer matches over popular ones lighters (especially those that are not refillable) is a behavior capable of substantially reducing plastic waste. The match material, as it is easily degradable, is an environmentally friendly solution.
Bulk purchases? there are already many stores that offer this possibility ? buying beans, rice or pasta by weight is starting to become a reality, although it is not yet widespread. As an alternative, always choose fruit sold individually versus packaged, as well as buying cheese or cold cuts (such as ham) ?over the counter? (and consequently, choosing to have it packaged in paper or taking a glass container, which is the best option) are always ways to limit the amount of food in plastic packaging at home. As pack free shops < span style="font-weight: 400;">are examples of stores that offer easy access to these products (solid shampoo, for example) ? you can find them in Lisbon, for example, at Maria granel with a wide range of offers of products that help you say no to plastic.
Related to reducing plastic consumption, we have the movement zero-waste. Zero-waste is a trend that promotes maximum use of recyclable and organic waste, with the aim that it does not end up in landfills, incinerators or even in the oceans. This philosophy aims to encourage the redesign of the life cycles of resources and their reuse, with some of its followers managing to put all years of waste in small glass jars.
I leave two interesting talks led by the ?mother? of this movement, Bea Johnson, if you want to know more about the subject:
< span style="font-weight: 400;">TEDx On Waste-Free Living
For those who prefer a good read, I leave, in this case,Lauren Singer's interview with Observer about reducing waste.
Let's do more for our Planet this Christmas, consuming and wasting less!< /span>
Raquel Fernandes
About Me
Heyy! I'm Raquel Fernandes, I'm an ambassador for Forall Phones and I study Economics.
I'm passionate about causes that go beyond us as people and that affect us as a society and nature and its wonders. For this reason, I am a natural defender of our Planet because we must safeguard it!
