5 simple ways to reduce plastic in your everyday life

1. Go to the supermarket prepared

Going to the supermarket prepared means having everything you need to avoid using or buying an extra plastic bag for goods or carrier bag. This not only saves money, but also helps to minimize the use of unnecessary plastic in everyday life.

I like to take a backpack with me to the supermarket for smaller purchases. If I need a more stuff, I pack cotton bags in my backpack.

2. Coffee To Go

Countless disposable cups are used for hot drinks every year. These include pure plastic cups from vending machines or the typical coffee to go cups that we are all familiar with. Why are these paper cups listed here when it comes to avoiding plastic? The paper cups are coated with plastic. This allows the hot drinks to be held in the cup without soaking through. For this reason, these paper cups do not belong in wastepaper and end up in garbage cans on the streets in cities anyway.

It is therefore a reasonable alternative to have your own reusable drinking cup with you when you are out, in the city, at the petrol station or somewhere else. Not only do they look nicer, but they also avoid waste.

3. The right choice of clothing

The choice of clothing can have a significant impact on the environment. Plastic clothing is commonly found in sportswear, but also in many other clothing items.

I would like to show you why plastic clothing made from synthetic fibers such as polyester or nylon have such a negative impact on the environment:

• Microplastics are released from clothing during washing and end up in rivers, oceans and in our pipes as they cannot be filtered by sewage treatment plants

• A significant amount of petroleum is used annually for the production of synthetic fibers

• Plastic clothing cannot biodegrade and can take hundreds of years to decompose. This is why plastic clothing often ends up in landfills where it is incinerated.

In general, clothes can be worn for a long time, even if a hole appears, it is more ecological to mend it yourself or have it sewn in order to reuse

4. Take the initiative and help out

Probably the easiest way to diminish plastic in your everyday life is to be proactive and take care of the waste yourself. This may not be a hygienic way to make a difference, but it will always feel good.

Clean public spaces contribute to a better quality of life, and it prevents animals from ingesting or getting caught in litter. This not only helps to improve the general appearance and therefore well-being, but also reduces the risk of litter for wildlife.

It also prevents pollution of the soil and water. Litter on the ground can be carried away by wind and rain into rivers, lakes and ultimately into the oceans. Picking up litter is an effective measure that everyone can take to make a positive contribution.

5. Attention in the supermarket

The last tip, like the first one, is about visiting the supermarket. When buying fresh fruit and vegetables, small plastic bags are often used to separate and weigh the different types of fruit or vegetables.

Reusable cotton bags can be used as an alternative to plastic bags. These are available for purchase in some supermarkets and are inexpensive.

If you don't want to buy additional bags, you can also use existing cloth bags, if they are already lying around at home waiting to be used.