Five Easy Ways To Become Plastic Free

[dropcap1]I[/dropcap1]s plastic still a huge part of your household? It’s time to change that. One of the things that might make you hesitate is the idea that removing all the plastic in your home, from shopping bags to bottles and everything in-between, will involve lots of hard work and adjustment. This isn’t always easy to do, especially with your hectic lifestyle. But every bit you do helps! Here are five easy and stress-free ways to cut down on your plastic usage.

BYOB – Bring Your Own Bag

You probably have lots of large shopper bags or boxes lying around the house that you could use when you go grocery shopping, so there’s really no reason to purchase plastic bags at the store. Always forget to bring them? Pack them in the boot of your car so that you’re never left empty-handed.

Plastic Free

There are some plastic items that are really unnecessary, like plastic straws you’re given at restaurants with your kids’ milkshakes, or plastic used to wrap a new vase you’ve bought at the furniture store. Instead of taking these home where you’ll have to throw them out, avoid getting them in the first place. Same goes for things like plastic lunch boxes – rather get into the habit of using glass or steel containers, or wrapping sandwiches in reusable food wraps.

Buy Items In Bulk

When it comes to those items that you always need around the house, like toilet paper and your kids’ favorite cereal, buy them in bulk. Not only will this save you money, but it’ll also prevent you from using too much plastic.

Don’t Buy Bottled Water

A plastic water bottle takes 450 years to disintegrate. That’s a scary statistic and easily avoidable. Buy a glass bottle you can carry around with you. Not only will the water taste better in glass, but it’ll last you a long time and it won’t contain chemicals that are found in plastic water bottles, such as BPA that can disrupt your body’s hormones.

Limit Processed Foods

Treating your family to junk food might be fun, but processed food always makes use of lots of plastic when it comes to its packaging. Try to enjoy healthier home-cooked meals that won’t require plastic trays, plastic wrap, and all that cardboard that ends up in the bin.

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