Hey Hey friends are you tired of seeing plastic and single waste use just about everywhere?! Yeah me too -_- I have been slowly working on becoming a zero waste human being, and have learned some tips and tricks to help me along the way. I am here today telling you that it is not as hard as it looks! I have six budget friendly items that you can swap to start you off on your zero waste journey.
#1- Reusable Metal Straws: It has been reported that Americans use half a billion straws a day (enough straws to fill up Yankee Stadium), much of which ends up in the ocean. I keep a few in my purse and a few in my car. When I need my daily caffeine fix I kindly ask for no straw, it is so easy and so inexpensive. Make the switch for about $7 dollars and save a sea turtle!
#2-Hydroflasks: Humans buy about 1,000,000 plastic bottles per minute in total. Only about 23% of plastic bottles are recycled within the U.S. Americans purchase about 50 billion water bottles per year, averaging about 13 bottles per month for every person in the U.S.! That means by using a reusable water bottle, you could save an average of 156 plastic bottles annually. I bring my trusty hydro flask everywhere and use it to fill any type of liquid. At most places you actually get a “bring your own cup discount!” So you are saving money!
#3-Grocery Bags: It is estimated that 4 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide annually. Only 1% of plastic bags are returned for recycling. Americans throw away 100 billion plastic bags annually. That’s about 307 bags per person! All that waste can be eliminated by switching to reusable shopping bags. My friends if you take any of these suggestions, take this one seriously and make the switch! It is so simple to throw a few in your car, or your purse and be on your way!
#4-Produce bags: This product goes hand in hand with Reusable bags if you need to separate your veggies when grocery shopping just pick up some cloth produce bags as well. It takes 500 (or more) years for a plastic bag to degrade in a landfill. Unfortunately the bags don't break down completely but instead photo-degrade, becoming microplastics that absorb toxins and continue to pollute the environment. Thumbs down!
#5-Beeswax or Soy wraps: These wraps replace your need for plastic wrap, and are so so easy to make yourself and or buy at your local farmers market! They are a made from a combination of bee or soy wax, tree resin, jojoba oil, and organic cotton. You simply place over the items you need covered and use the heat of your hand to make form a seal. My vegetables have lasted longer, and no more brown avocados, holla!
You can find these in the shop tab on this website!
#6- Mason Jars: Mason jars are easy to come by and aseptically pleasing for all of my farmhouse decor lovers out there! I use my mason jars to store bulk items such as rice, beans, lentils, or what have you. The key is to have your grocery cashier weigh your jar before you fill it they will mark the jar with the weight of your Mason and then subtract that weight from your overall bulk cost. So simple and budget friendly!
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Now that you have read about the many ways you can swap everyday single use plastics, I encourage you to look for other items in your life that you use once and toss in the trash. I found so many things in my own everyday routine that I can replace with something reusable. I understand that some of us live in areas that do not have access to these items and have linked where you can buy these online! Hands in the air if you care about our planet and its future! Don’t forget to check out our youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIAOLRSY3Gc&t=92s