Plastic Is Indeed Everywhere!
Invented only a century ago, plastic has marked its popularity by appearing in almost every single item we use daily — coffee cups, grocery bags, and toothbrushes. We might not think about this fact since it has become an indispensable and quite "obvious" material for most products these days.
It's understandable, especially so far we still couldn't find any other better material that is convenient, can be molded into almost any shape, doesn't require time-consuming manual work, is easily mass-produced and, more importantly - cheap.
However, even though manufacturers know that plastics are made from synthetic polymers, a super durable material that takes between 500 and 1000 years to break down, they still somehow collectively use this tough material for things meant to be thrown away.
Thanks to the power of the media and the Internet, consumers are more aware of the seriousness of plastic pollution and try to reduce their plastic footprint through many different "green" practices. And one of the most effective and feasible solutions to protecting the environment is to switch to eco-friendly alternatives to plastics.
Reduce Plastic Use With 5 Best Eco-Friendly Alternatives
When you consider how often and how much single-use plastic is used daily, ditching it makes a huge difference. The following five best eco-friendly alternatives to plastic will give you the necessary suggestions to still enjoy the convenience of single-use products but don't affect the environment.
1. Compostable Straws
Nearly every restaurant, from luxury to fast-food and coffee shops, uses plastic straws at certain times. Because of ensuring operation expense, many owners seem to ignore the amount of plastic waste they dispose of daily when putting on the scale of profit and environmental impact.
Compostable straws, in fact, have been introduced to the market for a while, but they still haven't got the attention they deserve. These types of biodegradable straws are made from organic materials such as coffee straws, coconut straws, rice straws, grass straws, and sugarcane straws and can break down into nature in less than a year.
Instead of taking over landfills and polluting the oceans like plastic straws, these biodegradable compostable straws will turn back into nutrient materials for soil. More importantly, they are totally safe for your health, even for hot drinks.
>> Read More:
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2. Wax Wrap
Today, food wrappers are one of the most essential kitchen accessories. The invention has helped preserve and prevent food from going to waste. However, the food wrapper used most commonly is made from plastic. And apparently, we often throw them away after one-time use, "unconsciously" worsening the plastic waste condition.
And wax wrap can ease that pain since it is a perfect alternative to plastic wrap to save the environment. They are washable, reusable and biodegradable. You can also use it for frozen food since it can last up to a week in the freezer.
3. Tote Bag
The amount of plastic bags used when shopping or buying groceries is, in fact, too much to be able to count. You may use these bags for a couple of minutes to hours and then throw them away without realizing that they still stay somewhere on Earth for some more centuries.
Hence, switching to plastic alternative bags like tote bags is essential in reducing your plastic footprint. They are often made from organic fabric, washable, reusable, and fashionable. These bags also come in a big size and zip to ensure you can easily carry all your stuff.
4. Compostable Cutlery
Single-use plastic contributes a lot to the significant increase of plastic waste in our environment. The convenience of single-use plastic cutlery like forks, spoons, or knives is undeniable, especially for small outdoor activities.
As a convenient alternative to one-time-use plastic cutlery, EQUO offers coffee utensils that are 100% compostable, made from coffee grounds, and 100% plastic-free. You can use them for any event due to their elegant appearance and durability. Having fun while still protecting the environment makes much more sense in this "sensitive" time.
5. Toothbrush
Three to four months is the frequency of changing toothbrushes, and that's also how often we throw that particular type of plastic into the environment. Since it takes a little longer than our habit of throwing away plastic, we often underestimate the seriousness of toothbrush plastic waste.
Therefore, it would be best to choose bamboo toothbrushes next time instead of plastic ones. This small action can make a huge difference in the plastic pollution condition, which has already worsened for a long time. And don't worry about their functionality because they work just as excellent as plastic toothbrushes. Better, they can break down into nature instead of building up in landfills like the plastic fellows.
>> Read More:
- 10 Ways To Reduce Plastic Use In Everyday Life
- How To Live Sustainably: 5 Tips To Be More Sustainable In Everyday Life
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- Grass Straws: An Eco-Friendly Product Originated From Vietnam