Plastic receives a lot of criticism despite being one of the most useful innovations to date. The waste from our extensive use of plastic has reached every corner of the world.

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Why attempt to cut back on your plastic waste?

Plastic doesn’t decompose naturally. That implies that a bottle of water or grocery bag, even if used for a brief period, will persist in the environment for hundreds of years. Since plastic was just developed in 1907, all the plastic that has ever been produced is still in the environment today, barring any that has been burned, which would have released hazardous chemicals into the atmosphere and raised greenhouse gas concentrations.

What specific actions can you take to reduce the use of plastic bags?

1. Befriend reusable shopping bags.

Over the course of their lives, reusable bags can replace hundreds of plastic bags. The same is true for reusable containers and many other goods. It’s a fantastic idea to keep a modest supply of reusable bags in your car to prevent forgetting. For fruits and vegetables, use a fabric mesh bag as opposed to a light-film plastic bag. To store your sandwiches, swap out the plastic sandwich bags for a lunchbox. Instead of drinking water from disposable bottles, stay hydrated by using a reusable water bottle.

2. Refuse to take any plastic bag that is handed to you.

Making a conscious effort to decline any offered plastic bags is another important step toward using less plastic. For instance, most supermarkets carry rolls of thin plastic bags to use when purchasing fruits and vegetables. Oranges, onions, bananas, and other produce with thick peel should be placed directly in your cart or reusable bags.

If you forget your reusable bags, carrying the items separately may be a little less handy, but as long as you don’t have a lot of items, it shouldn’t be a major concern.

3. Using plastic bags several times.

We can always reuse plastic bags that you end up longer than you might think. Some brands of zip-close bags are very well made and last for months after being washed. Put them in the pile of dishes, and after drying, hang them above the sink or on a drying rack.

4. Utilize plastic bag recycling.

For a very long time, only hard plastics could be recycled. Although this method of recycling has issues and problems of its own, new organizations have discovered ways to recycle soft plastics as well. Most municipal waste disposal businesses won’t come to your residence to pick these up.

5. Collect plastic waste.

Another excellent technique to aid in the reduction of the plastic problem is to collect stray plastic bags in the environment. A clean environment, as opposed to one where there is a lot of trash, has a good impact on people’s well-being, even if the overall amount of plastic garbage isn’t significantly reduced. Another great justification for investigating garbage pickup services or renting a disposal container is litter collection.

6. Pick foods that are packed sustainably.

Supermarkets frequently carry two or more of the same item. They could be different in price, country of origin, or name brand. We frequently make an automatic decision to go with the lowest choice. However, certain firms may package their products using paper. Supporting these companies is a wonderful way to cut down on the amount of plastic bags you use. Produce, oats, bread, crackers, and other frequently consumed items are among those with packaging alternatives.

7. Find alternatives for bulk food.

Last but not least, a lot of smaller grocery stores now let you scoop bulk items like rice, grains, and kitchen ingredients directly into your containers. Profiting from bulk retailers in this way reduces spending and plastic bag waste.

Your children and grandchildren will appreciate your decision to change your lifestyle by using fewer plastic bags. You’ll question why you ever used so many plastic bags once you stop using them all the time.

7 Ways to Reduce Plastic Bag Waste