Have you ever tried to go plastic free?

Have you ever stopped to think about how much plastic trash you produce in your day-to-day activities? We barely realize it, but every day we can dispose of a great number of single-use plastics, like shampoo and laundry detergent bottles, Styrofoam trays, plastic film and a big variety of packaging bags, in general.

Due to the excessive use of plastic to pack all kinds of goods, the production and the disposal of plastic is one of the most urgent problems to the environment today. Plastic was invented in the 19th century and got popular in the 1950. Since then, its production has increased every year. The Plastic Atlas made by Heinrich Böll Stiftung - The Green Political Foundation says that more than a half of all plastics ever produced have been made from 2000 to 2019. Worldwide, over 400 million tonns of plastics are produced each year, and it is expected that, in 2025, plastic production will reach over 600 million tonnes per year. More than a third of all plastic produced is from packaging.

Made from petroleum or natural gas, plastics are resistant, and when they are disposed, they need an uncertain amount of time to degrade, from 20 to 500 years. A great part of the waste end up in the seas and on the soils without an appropriate treatment. So, while they are degrading, they pollute the soil and the seas, intoxicating the soil and affecting the biodiversity of the sea.

The Plastic Atlas draws attention to the fact that no matter where scientists go looking for plastic, they find it. They already found it inside the sea animals stomach and also microplastic particles were discovered in human organs.

To solve the global plastic pollution issue, we need a structural change in the production, in the regulation, in the treatment and in the consumption. It seems impossible to not consume any plastic and to be 100% plastic free, but we can reduce quite a good amount of our daily plastic trash. It’s important to do so because, even if we recycle, the plastic production is greater than the recycling. We share with you our “must take” 15 steps towards zero-plastic life but you are free to adapt this list to your life, substitute some of them as well, the important is to start reducing:

• Replacing shampoo bottles for shampoo bars;

• Avoiding using plastic bags in the supermarket;

• Choosing products which are not in plastic packaging;

• Taking the reusable bags every time you go to the grocery store;

• Using eco-friendly sponge instead of disposable sponge to wash the dishes;

• Replacing the plastic cotton swabs for cotton paper swabs;

• Using match instead of plastic lighter;

• Making fruit juice at home instead of getting bottle juice;

• Switching food cartons for canned food. The tins are more recyclable;

• Always take your reusable bottle to drink water when you are out;

• Avoiding plastic wrap in your kitchen using glass food storage containers;

• If you are asking for delivery, try to buy from someplace that doesn't use single-use plastic;

• Changing your plastic toothbrush for a bamboo toothbrush;

• Buying in bulk stores;

• Stopping chewing gum, they have 25% plastic in its composition!