Plastic Free July: 8 Ways We Can Reduce Plastic Use
- Sharks4Kids
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Author: Stephanie Huynh
Sharks are amazing creatures that have existed on Earth for hundreds of millions of years. We need sharks around to keep the oceans balanced because, believe it or not, the oxygen we breathe on land comes from the sea! We need sharks to maintain a healthy oceanic ecosystem that sustains all life on Earth. But sadly, sharks are in trouble, and many species are endangered, meaning they can disappear if we don’t start helping them now. The good news is that there are plenty of ways we can all help sharks in our everyday lives. It doesn’t matter if we live near the ocean or hundreds of miles from it, or whether we’re adults or children. We all have the power to make a difference.
One thing we can all do is reduce our use of single-use plastic products. Depending on where we live, different types of plastics are recyclable while others are not. Have your parents or a teacher help you figure out which plastics can be recycled. However, even better than recycling is replacing these single-use items with alternatives that can be washed and reused. This is because recycled plastic can only be recycled so many times before it becomes unusable. The problem with one-time-use plastic items is that they don’t break down in the environment, and once we’re done using them, they often end up in the ocean, where they can potentially remain for hundreds of years. This can harm sharks and ultimately harm us. Here are some examples of easy swaps we can make:
Use reusable water bottles made from materials other than plastic such as stainless steel. There are often water filling stations at many local establishments.
When packing a lunch on the go, bring reusable cutlery with you. Either real utensils from your home or ones made from bamboo or other biodegradable materials will do. And when ordering take-out food, be sure to inform the person taking your order that you do not want plastic cutlery!
Many states are banning the use of plastic shopping bags, but if yours doesn’t, bring reusable bags made of cloth, fabric, or other materials to the supermarket. The same goes for produce bags. You can get mesh bags for that!
Opt for toothbrushes made of bamboo rather than plastic, with bristles made of materials other than nylon.
When dining at a restaurant, bring glass Tupperware containers from home to transport leftovers, rather than the one-time-use plastic or Styrofoam that most restaurants typically provide.
When purchasing clothing, check the labels and try to opt for fabrics that do not contain microplastics. Organic linen or hemp will not shed plastics through wash cycles.
When purchasing products at the supermarket, choose the item that comes in a glass container over one that comes in a plastic container. There are numerous products available in glass, including maple syrup, peanut butter, spices, and milk. When purchasing eggs, opt for the paper container over the plastic one.
Ditch the plastic straw. Unless you have a medical reason for needing one, don’t use one. It does not prevent the spread of germs in public dining establishments, if that’s what you’re thinking!
There are more ways we can reduce plastic, but these are 8 options we can all strive for as a start. Plastic is everywhere, and it’s tough to avoid altogether, but if we all make small efforts every day through simple everyday swaps, such as those mentioned here, it can really add up to making a significant difference in helping protect sharks, our oceans, and ourselves.
