Contact your representative and ask them to make changes,” Ozawa says.”For example, it could take as many as 1,000 uses of a travel mug to make it a total win for the environment, she says, citing an estimate by the International Reference Centre for the Life Cycle of Products, Processes and Services (CIRAIG), in Quebec.Buy in bulkPlenty of things like laundry detergent can be found in refillable containers, and beans and nuts can be found in bulk, so you can sidestep plastic or clamshell containers, Ozawa says. Carry purchases home in glass jars, paper bags or other containers you already have.”Speak outAbove and beyond small changes on the home front, “political action is the most important thing you can do for the environment.”
A good way to begin is with a waste audit, taking notes on what you throw away, whether it’s a dryer sheet or an old toothbrush.”My husband and I started the company after we started freaking out because we couldn’t find anything in our closet; it was so full of plastic-wrapped clothes. You’d be surprised by how much trash you’re generating, and it’ll give you clues about what you can do differently,” says Anna Maltby, deputy editor of Real Simple.Urge friends and family to join you in your efforts, post something on social media and write companies to request that they make environmentally friendly changes, says Ozawa.” And that’s just a start.”Shop mindfully”Think carefully about what you’re buying. “You don’t need to buy a new set of Mason jars, because chances are your sister or a thrift shop may have perfectly good Mason jars you can use. So I switched to using containers we already had and invested in a set of silicon lids that fit onto bowls in an array of sizes,” Maltby says.
“There are so many simple changes you can make at home,” says Melissa Ozawa, features and gardening editor at Martha Stewart Living magazine. “Switching to reusables is a good goal, but you have to be willing to commit long-term to ensure that shift is doing more good than harm.A handful of easy, no-plastic hacks for a greener home:Lids, not cling wraps”When I did a waste audit, I realised we were using a lot of plastic wrap.Dry cleaning fixesMany dry cleaners now offer reusable bags for garments, including folded shirts. Just as the milkman used to bring milk in returnable bottles, dry cleaning can be delivered and dropped off in reusable bags. At the grocery store or mall, people are often on autopilot.The idea seems to be catching on.. “Make your voice heard,” she says.Washington: To help the environment by cutting down on non-compostable plastics, many people have begun saying no to plastic straws and are wooden fiber cutting board Factory bringing reusable bags to the grocery store instead of accepting new plastic ones.Better yet, opt for used”Using reusable products you already own or that are handed down, that’s a real win for the ecology,” says Maltby.
Reuse reusables, a lot”It’s important to remember that some reusable items may be harder on the environment than the plastics you’re trying to avoid unless you use them a lot,” points out Maltby, of Real Simple.Other substitutes for cling wrap include cloth coverings, like Bee’s Wrap and Abeego, that seal tight. “You can use a wooden comb, a bamboo toothbrush, silk dental floss and metal refillable safety razors.”As a consumer, you have a lot of power, and you can use it to reward the companies that are doing a good job with their packaging. And like a growing number of companies, The Green Garmento has a take-back program to recycle or up-cycle the worn-out bags. Just make avoiding plastic a part of your mindset,” says Ozawa.”The industry has made great strides,” says Jennie Nigrosh, founder and CEO of The Green Garmento, which sells reusable dry-cleaning garment bags, shirt box bags and other sustainable products. We were drowning in plastic,” she says.”The message really is that when you buy a reusable product, use the heck out of it and don’t keep buying new ones,” says Maltby. Paper sandwich bags and reusable zip-shut silicon baggies are also popular choices to replace traditional single-use plastic baggies. But many more small steps like those can be taken. Farmer’s markets are another great source of package-free foods, she adds
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