For most of my life, I’ve been a part of the problem.
I grew up in the 1970’s, and became comfortable with the convenience of single-use, disposable items of all kinds. I really never went out of my way to do anything that remotely resembled sustainability. The other, less sustainable options were so easy to choose that they became a part of life, and most of the time, habits are hard to break. Examples:
· It’s easy to reach for single-use plastic water bottles.
· It’s easy to reach for single-use paper products.
· It’s easy to reach for single-use plastic bags.
· It’s easy to dump all the waste into the same container for disposal.
· It’s easy to ignore the problem and leave it for someone else to solve…
As I’ve matured, I have begun to fully realize the impact that the last 70+ years have had on our planet, in terms of the lasting effects on the environment. I’m not referring to climate change, but the residual effects that mankind has begun to leave behind. Since 1950, it is estimated that more than 10 billion tons of plastic have been manufactured, and less than 10% of that has been recycled. The rest of it has been incinerated or simply dumped into the ocean or the environment. As a result, microplastics and minute nanoplastics, small particles from plastic debris of all kinds, are everywhere, including inside each of our bodies and those of all living things on earth.
Here are some steps that I took, that you can also take to become more sustainable virtually overnight:
1. Stop buying bottled water. I bought cases of bottled water for years. Now I have a variety of insulated containers for drinking water, and refill them as needed. Not only does it save money, but it has reduced my plastic disposal rate drastically.
2. Instead of plastic bags, choose reusable options. From grocery bags to zip-top bags, there are alternatives that make better sense economically and environmentally. I bought durable reusable bags from a local trader for groceries, and began using washable containers for leftovers instead of zip-top bags.
3. Replace paper towels with cloth towels. This was much easier than I expected it to be. I purchased 4 dozen reusable thin cotton cloths that roll around a cardboard tube that fits on the same paper towel holder I had before. The original convenience is there, with no waste. The towels go in the laundry which must be done anyway.
4. Avoid Single Serving Coffee. There are billions of the little plastic cups in our landfills now. The old-fashioned way of making coffee is far friendlier to the earth, if less convenient. It hasn’t been that long that we even had the option. If you use the single serving variety, at least make an effort to recycle the waste.
5. Separate Recyclables from other waste. I’ve been doing this for years anyway, but it needs emphasis. I bought containers to keep in the garage, one for paper items, one for plastics. I take these items to the local recycling center myself.
With very little out of pocket cost, I was able to implement some steps toward sustainability, and in fact save some money by avoiding spending on items that would ultimately be disposed.
As humans, we don’t fully comprehend the impact that plastic pollution may have on our species, but there are certainly potential health consequences for all. The problem will only begin to get better when more people take steps to reduce reliance on disposable and single-use products. It only requires some simple changes to your habits to help contribute to the solution.
Starting now, I’m looking for more ways to implement environmentally friendly, sustainable options into my way of life. I hope you will join me as I continue to share new opportunities for practical sustainability.
