In the UK it is estimated that five million tonnes of plastic is used every year. A report from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation suggests that unless we take action to reduce this, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050.
Check out our top tips below on how you can reduce your plastic footprint:
1. Ditch plastic straws
Plastic straws end up in our oceans, where they damage ecosystems and harm marine creatures. Plastic straws are not biodegradable and can take up to 200 years to break down. Metal, paper or bamboo straws make a good alternative for those who still prefer to use straws.
2. Use a reusable water bottle
Give up bottled water. Not only does it come in a plastic bottle, but tremendous resources are used to extract, bottle, and ship it. A great way to cut your plastic use is to use your own reusable bottle and save money at the same time too! There is even an app that tells you where you can refill your bottles for free!
3. Take your own reusable coffee cup
Carry your own reusable coffee cup or flask. Around 2.5bn coffee cups are thrown away every year in the UK alone. There are many alternatives out there and many coffee shops will even give you a discount for bringing your own cup!
4. Stay away from plastic toothbrushes
Did you know that in the UK alone, 200 million plastic toothbrushes are thrown away every year? How crazy is that figure?! Make the switch now to bamboo toothbrushes, the eco-friendly option.
An alternative to the bamboo toothbrush is the miswaak stick, found predominately in Muslim traditions. The stick is prepared from the roots, twigs, and stem of Salvadora persica. It is considered to be the first form of dental hygiene and has been scientifically proven to have many benefits: antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-cariogenic, and anti-plaque properties.
5. Don’t chew gum
Did you know that almost all chewing gum are made from plastic? Yes you read that right! Gum is made of a synthetic rubber, aka plastic. If you really can’t do without gum, they can be swapped for plastic free alternatives such as Glee or Chewsy.
Just by making a few small changes, it can have a big impact on the amount of plastic we use on a day-to-day basis. What changes will you make or are already doing?