How Your Family Can Cut Back on Single-Use Plastic

Today, more and more people are concerned about the environment and the effect that single-use plastic is having on our world. With more buzz in the news about what plastic items like water bottles, single-use wipes, and plastic straws are doing to the earth, it’s no surprise that you might be thinking about moving your family towards a more sustainable, environmentally-friendly way of living. After all, change starts at home and by cutting down on the amount of single-use plastic that you consume, you and your family can be part of a huge movement that’s set to make a difference.

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Get a Water Filter:

Instead of drinking water from plastic bottles, having whole house water filters installed in your home will ensure that you always have clean drinking water available. Not only will this help you cut down your plastic consumption substantially if you drink a lot of water, but it’ll also be much cheaper. Get reusable water bottles for the whole family so that you can fill them up with your filtered water before heading out.

Cleaning Cloths:

Using reusable cleaning cloths instead of wipes for household tasks is much better for the environment and easier on your wallet. Instead of wipes that end up in landfills taking billions of years to biodegrade after you’ve used them, cloths can simply be washed and used over and over again. And you can save money even further by cutting up old towels or clothing items that you don’t want any longer, adding recycling to part of your eco-friendly family plan. You can also use cloths to replace single-use paper towels and do your bit to save the trees, too.

Reusable Straws:

Most people who’ve got kids will use drinking straws but the plastic ones can wreak havoc on the environment. And with paper straws becoming standard in restaurants and fast food joints around the world, it’s clear to see the impact that plastic straws have had. Instead of buying a pack of single-use straws every time you run out, it’s worth investing in reusable metal straws for the whole family. If you have kids, they will love picking out their own reusable straws as you can get them in tons of fun designs and colors. Just wash them with the cup and they’re ready to be used again.

Mindful Grocery Shopping:

Grocery shopping usually involves a lot of single-use plastic since many food items are unnecessarily wrapped in it. However, there are a few things that you can do as a consumer to reduce this. When buying loose fruit and vegetables, take a canvas or mesh bag with you to the store to use for them rather than taking advantage of the plastic bags provided. You can also do your bit by taking reusable bags to the store for bagging your groceries at the end, rather than using the plastic ones at the checkout.

As a family, being more careful about the single-use plastic that you consume is easier than it looks. Today, there are plenty of alternatives to single-use plastic to consider as the world becomes more eco-conscious.