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8.19.2013

Reducing Your Plastic Footprint


Plastic sucks and it is all around us. The laptop I am using to type this - plastic. The remote sitting next to me - plastic. The charger I just plugged into my car - plastic. Last week I asked on Facebook how many pieces of plastic people had touched so far in the day. The responses were interesting.






I spent the day tracking every piece of plastic I was using, whether it was a piece of furniture I was sitting on, the carpet under my feet or a yogurt container. The results can be shocking but I noticed that I have reduced the plastic in my day to day life since last tracked it in 2011. Want to see Fridays results?  Check out the footprint image above! 

Tips for Reducing Your Plastic Footprint

1. Focus on elimination. Don't even bring the plastic into your life! Look for food packaged in glass instead of plastic, bring your own containers for takeout, stop buying bottled water and pop. Elimination will have the biggest impact on the environment and go the furthest to opening the door for other types of materials to gain market share over plastic.

2. Reduce the amount of plastic you use. If you have to buy something that has plastic packaging steer clear of those with excessive packaging.

3. Reuse the plastic you have. We eat some food products (like yogurt) that can only be found in plastic containers. Don't just throw them in the blue bin when they are empty because while they will be recycled it doesn't reduce the amount of chemicals being used to create plastic in the first place. Plastic is never recycled back into its same form - a yogurt container doesn't become another yogurt container. The best option is to reuse the plastic. Remember to never heat your food in it!

4. Skip the upgrades. It is easy to fall into the trap of always upgrading to the newest and greatest TV or gaming system. Keeping items until you need to sell/donate them is far better for the environment then replacing them on a more frequent basis.

5. Don't buy "landfill toys". These are the toys that your kids will play with for 20 minutes and then forget about. They are probably also the toys that will fall apart of be damaged after a small amount of play. Don't buy them at all or if you feel like you have to them look for them used.

How many plastic items do you touch in a day?


Related Posts - Check them Out
A Simple Way to Reduce Dependency on Plastic Wrap
Focusing on 3R's
Our Earth Day

14 comments:

  1. Kids are plastic-magnets! Everything created for kids these days is plastic, and it takes a really against-the-grain mindset to find alternatives. Love suggestion #5. It's hard when they're gifts though :( I return/ exchange whenever possible (sometimes calling multiple stores with the scan code), but sometimes I can't and then I just have to donate or regift (although I don't really like to give plastic toys).

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  2. Tip #1 is so important. We try and avoid acquiring any new plastics that we can. I almost always buy food in glass jars instead of any kind of plastic container if there is the option since I know I'll re-use glass jars. I also try to buy from bulk bins to refill our glass storage jars at home. Whole Foods has paper bulk bin bags now instead of plastic which I love.

    What kind of electric car do you have? I drive Ford Focus Electric.

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  3. Betsy how do you handle if someone asks you where the gift is?

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  4. I don't even want to think about how many pieces of plastic I touch in a day. LOTS! It's so difficult sometimes to reduce the plastic. It's just everywhere. Thanks for the tips.

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  5. Carissa - love that Whole Foods has paper bags now! We don't have one here but when I go to the bulk store I take my own containers to fill.

    I bought myself a Nissan Leaf :)

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  6. It is everywhere Kristina! Small steps works best to cutting back.

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  7. A great example of those 20 minute toys are all those silly things kids get in goody bags. Parents hate buying them and we hate getting them... I wish we could all agree to stop!

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  8. So true Leigh! We don't give out goodie bags and that is one of the reasons!

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  9. I.HATE.PLASTIC. It is crazy how much plastic we use!

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  10. I have decreased the amount of plastic too, but it's hard not to have some. My notebook is plastic, but at least it has less than the average lapbook, my smart phone, but I tell myself I'm okay because I received it used. I look forward to the day no more plastic is made. As for toys, handmade gifts are what I give instead along with experiences. My granddaughter will be taking a preschool dance class for her birthday present.

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  11. Experiences really are a great idea instead of toys.

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  12. Agh this is so hard, when there are products you want (like cheese, or yoghurt) and your only option is plastic or more plastic. And you collect a lot of containers for reuse! BUt yes, my keyboard, mouse, probably the laminate on my work desk, all plastic-y

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  13. So true about plastics being recycled don't turn into another similar item. I do need to be more mindful of plastic packaging. And your point about the yogurt containers kind of shamed me back into making our own yogurt.

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  14. Any good recipes for making your own Connie?

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