4 Easy Tips to Reduce Waste (& Travel Plastic-Free) - GUEST BLOG POST
4 Easy Tips to Reduce Waste
The Earth is undoubtedly an incredible planet, made out of various things. However, although the world is made up of nickel, iron, magnesium, aluminum, and countless other substances, it may as well be made out of plastic!
Although the earth isn’t literally molded in plastic, nearly every corner of the planet comprises a scary amount of it. Earth has become a plastic planet, societies overwhelmed by various things made of the said material. What was once a marvelous innovation is now polluting our home and leading humanity to its imminent demise.
Plastic and Its Devastating Impact
Plastic has become inseparable from modern living. As an integral part of the present, businesses and homes consume more of this material by the year. There’s no wonder why the amount of plastic manufactured and consumed continues to grow; plastic has been packaged as the incredible solution to various problems, and it delivered.
With the promise of low density, great strength, long life, and lightweight, all at low cost, plastic took the world by storm. Wherever you look, you’ll most likely see something made out of plastic. Indeed, the contributions of this material are immeasurable, but not without a price.
Unfortunately, the advantages of using plastic do not outweigh its damaging effects on the environment. The production of plastic involves using potentially harmful chemicals which may risk one’s health. Despite this, plastic is still being widely used despite its effects, the amount of it growing to a whopping 3.8 billion tons.
At this rate, if not enough is done about the rise in plastic production and use, it will eventually become impossible to go back to life as we know it.
On Your Role
The impact of plastic on the environment and health is enormous. As such, countries must work together to alleviate this growing problem. However, individuals shouldn’t just depend on their governments and organizations to do something; each person must also do their part!
Your actions may seem insignificant, seeing as you’re just one person in a sea of billions, but don’t underestimate what you can do! Reducing the use of plastic in your life will make waves and contribute to the cause of saving the Earth.
Living a plastic-free life may be impossible for now, but hopefully, with your cooperation, the world will be able to function with little to no plastics. Your role in the fight against plastic is crucial—it takes one person to care about the cause and do something about it to make a difference!
Ways to Reduce Plastic Consumption
Given that plastic is everywhere, beginning to live a life without it will be challenging, especially at first. After being so used to benefitting from plastic-made items like smartphones, water bottles, and fans, not everyone would be determined to go through with it until the end.
If you’re at a loss as to how to reduce your plastic consumption, don’t worry, there are ways to ease into it! Of course, changing your lifestyle, even by a bit, will disrupt the beginning. However, once you get the hang of things, you’ll live as comfortably and happily as you did before while helping save the planet and your health simultaneously.
Here are some tips to reduce your plastic use:
Carry own toiletries.
Sachets of toiletries continue to contribute to plastic waste globally. It would therefore help to pack your refillable bottles with you for your own soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and conditioner.
You may also opt for solid toiletries which do not only reduce waste but also the risk of leakage in your luggage. This would be more convenient when you’re traveling for a couple of weeks to ensure you won’t run out of supply. Though, most hotels nowadays are gradually shifting to bulk soap and shampoo dispensers from individual plastic bottles.
You can recommend that they use such alternatives in case the place you booked is still distributing mini bottles of toiletries. Giving a thoughtful suggestion can go a long way while also taking the initiative to pack your own toiletries each time you travel!
Bring own water bottle.
Aside from enjoying the convenience of having water ready wherever you go, bringing a water bottle will allow you to stay hydrated which is important for your health especially when you’re moving a lot.
You simply need to refill your bottle by looking for places that provide free fill such as hotels, restaurants, and cafes among others. Try to maximize the offers of these places so that you can also save up as you go. Meanwhile, some countries have accessible water fountains that you can also take advantage of.
Use period pants.
Tampons and napkins take hundreds of years to break down so going for an eco-friendly alternative such as using period underwear or menstrual cups would really do good for the environment. These can be used multiple times without any plastic packaging which makes them better than organic tampons as well.
Support planet-friendly skin brands.
Traveling poses some hazards to the skin since there is a need to often go out in the sun and might require you to face varying weather in a certain period. Therefore, you must be prepared with the right skincare to protect yourself.
It would be best to do research first as to what works best on your skin in consideration that they’re eco-friendly and sustainable skin products. Look for the brands that offer plastic-free products to green up your skincare routine.
There are also reusable makeup remover pads that you might want to include in your vanity bag instead of the wipes made of non-biodegradable plastic fibers. You can also consider using coconut oil for skincare as it is not only effective in removing eye makeup but also has various uses for body nourishment such as hydrating dry hands and soothing eczema.
Final Thoughts.
Cutting down our plastic wastes is especially important today as we encounter more environmental problems and do our part to make our lives more sustainable. Do more research on how to further your impact while discovering more of what this world can offer!
