It’s almost impossible to go plastic-free but you can try. Zero waste expert Anne Lappe says ‘We don’t need a few people doing zero waste perfectly – we need millions of people trying their best, even if it’s imperfectly’. Plastic is made from oil and takes 500 years to biodegrade, if ever. Meanwhile, it breaks down to choke and suffocate wildlife on land and sea. Using less plastic is far more than swapping to a bamboo toothbrush.
Say No to Plastic is a nice little book of 100 simple tips to radically reduce your plastic use. Ideal for people on a budget, it offers high street subs if you can’t find items online, plus DIY ideas to reduce your plastic consumption. See make your garden safe for pets to know plants and other items to avoid near pets. For beauty/cleaning recipes, avoid aromatherapy essential oils for pregnancy/nursing (and medical conditions like epilepsy and asthma. Avoid rosemary & citrus oils for high blood pressure.
Plastic is in everything from synthetic fibres (like nylon and polyester – launder in a microplastic catch bag) to packaging (grocery bags, bottles, clingfilm). There is now six times more plastic debris than plankton in the North Pacific Ocean. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is an island made from plastic waste (the size of India, Mexico and Europe combined). 90% of all waste floating in the oceans is now made from plastic. Plastic also has health concerns, like hormone-changing chemicals in plastic lunchboxes and can affect fertility to cancer risks. Yet 40% of all plastic on earth, is from packaging.
Say Goodbye to Plastic is a book by the founder of a stainless steel lunch box in the US. Sandra shows you how to knock plastic out of your life, or just try out a few novel ideas in the kitchen, bathroom, office or dining room.
This plastic-free shopping kit iis ideal for all your food shopping. I includes one organic cotton bread bag, 3 organic cotton produce bags (for loose fruits and veggies) and 1 stretchy organic cotton string bag (keep safely stashed away from pets and children).
