Jul 18, 2016

5 Simple Swaps to Reduce Waste



1. Skip single use plastic bags.

World wide there are one trillion plastic bags are used annually. That's trillion with a T each year! Join the #skipthebag movement by refusing single use plastic bags. There are a number of alternatives to plastic bags so you are sure to find something you like.

2. Get a reusable waterbottle.

Americans use 2.5 million water bottles every hour. Get a refillable* waterbottle to save all that plastic waste! Besides it may not be any safer than tap water

3. Use a travel coffee mug.

This is the mug* my husband uses. He regularly raves about how great it is. His mother also has one that she loves, actually his was a gift from her when he was about to embark on his cross country drive to move to Florida. My favorite part (since I don't drink coffee) is that every time he uses it there is one less disposable cup going to a landfill.

4. Say no to straws.  

Especially living in the South I have noticed how they give you a straw for everything. However it is very easy to say "no, thank you" and refuse the plastic straws. If you just have to have a straw I would like to recommend some alternatives made of metal, bamboo or paper*. 

5. Avoid plastic silverware. 

Many people carry a set of flatware* to avoid situations where they would need to use plastic silverware (again some are made of bamboo* or even are biodegradable*). It helps prevent issues where you have to use a plastic spoon because you don't have one.
These are all simple swaps that you can make that will have a large impact on the amount of plastic you consume over the course of a year.
*This is an affiliate links, see disclosure.

10 comments:

  1. Awesome advice! I hardly ever use plastic silverware and try and recycle a lot :)

    Blessings,
    Edye | Http://gracefulcoffee.wordpress.com

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  2. I am always trying to implement these suggestions. Thanks.

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    1. It's a work in progress, any that you can refuse will have a huge impact!

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  3. Great tips! I definitely try to implement all of these, but I always need a reminder to try harder!

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  4. Great tips!! Thank you for sharing with us at the #HomeMattersParty

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  5. Great post. I had not really thought about the straws or plasticware. Also, appreciate the connections to the products. Thank you for sharing this.

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    1. I'm glad I could help. Thanks for stopping by!

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