This post is sponsored by Brita, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

It’s no surprise that we are in trouble when it comes to plastic waste in our country. When you walk down most roads or alongside lakes, rivers and oceans, sadly you often can find remnants of plastic waste that others have littered or that has washed ashore. Aside from the unsightly look of all that waste, it also takes an extremely long time to decompose and can cause significant hazards to animals (especially those in our oceans). It’s estimated that, by weight, there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050, if recent trends continue. How sad is that?!

I’ve been working on becoming more aware of just how much waste we produce as a family and slowly working on taking more steps to reduce our overall waste, especially those of single-use plastic items. The small steps that we take in our everyday habits and routines can lead to long-term improvements, especially if more people join in on more sustainable and conservational practices. These steps not only help Mother Earth, but often can lead to saving money and decreasing our carbon footprint as well.

10 Easy Ways To Waste Less Plastic Every Day

Ditch Plastic Water Bottles

Single use, plastic water bottles are creating a problem with excess plastic waste. Only 9% of plastic waste is recycled and 2,000 plastic bottles are used every second.  That’s nearly 173 million bottles that are used in a day which is creating a staggering amount of waste in our environment. We’ve been very conscious to avoid using single-use plastic water bottles for years now!

Instead of continuously buying water bottles we started using a Brita water pitcher to be more Earth friendly, save money and have great tasting water! We use a Brita Pitcher with Longlast Filter and just fill our own reusable water bottles throughout the day and before we leave the home. In one year you can save 1,800 disposable bottles from landfills and oceans with just 2 Brita Longlast filters. Imagine if every home made the switch?

Brita’s Longlast Filter reduces 99% of Lead plus Mercury, Chlorine, Benzene, and more to provide us with cleaner, safer and greater tasting water. Aside from creating much less waste, we’ve saved a ton of money in the long run when compared with buying water all the time. Each filter delivers up to 120 gallons of water (equivalence of 900 disposable water bottles) so you can save money, and keep plastic waste out of landfills.

Just this one simple step can have a huge ripple effect when it comes to leading a more pro-planet and sustainable lifestyle. You can purchase Brita Longlast Filter products at Target.

Switch Your Toiletries

Toiletries are notorious for using an excess of plastic packaging! There are so many new brands out now that have bar soaps, shampoos and conditioners that help alleviate the use of excess, one-time use plastic. When purchasing products, also avoid those that have microbeads (face wash brands use them as exfoliants). Those tiny beads make their way into our water system and animals ingest them with tragic effects.

Use Reusable Bags

When heading out to shop, bring your own bags! We always keep a handful of large reusable fabric bags in our car to have on hand. For produce, skip the plastic bags entirely. There is really no need to bag them as they’ll still need to be washed once home anyways. If you do want produce bags, there are some great breathable fabric bags that can be purchased. If you forget your bags (it happens), ask for paper if possible.

Instead of using plastic sandwich and snack bags for lunches and on-the-go, use reusable containers when possible.

Avoid Using Plastic Wrap

Instead of using plastic wrap, use containers with lids or use beeswax wrap instead. Each option is much more sustainable.

Say “No Thanks” To Straws

The amount of waste from plastic straws is staggering. Over 500 million plastic straws are used every single day. Yes, day! Either opt for no straws or invest in reusable glass, stainless steel, silicone or find recyclable paper straws to use instead.

Nix Tampons (or Buy More Sustainable Brands)

Feminine products is one area that has seen a huge switch in sustainability. For tampons, look for no applicator or paper applicator options or consider switching to a menstrual cup.

Use Sustainable Products

When you’re in need of using disposable items (for example, birthday parties or BBQ’s), opt for recyclable paper or bamboo products.

Ask For No Receipt

Many receipts are covered with a film that prevents them from being recyclable. Ask for no receipt or have receipts emailed to you when possible.

Up-cycle

When it comes to the items that you have, find alternative, creative ways to up-cycle and use them in other ways. Take old plastic bags and use them for trash liners, re-use plastic containers for storage for craft, toy or miscellaneous items, etc. Since many children toys are made with plastics, when your children have outgrown them, pass them along to another mother in need or sell them in your local online re-sell page.

Say Something (With Your Dollars and Mind)

Be conscious of where and who you are spending your money on. Support companies that have sustainable practices and products by purchasing from them. Write to your representatives and let them know that you want more eco-friendly and pro-planet practices.


What things do you do daily to be pro-planet? 

Take the pledge with Brita and National Geographic to reduce single-use plastic in your life. Every pledge counts—spread the word! Take the pledge here!

 

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