How To Use Less Plastic To Help The Planet

According to data from a new Post-consumer Plastic Recycling Data Report, recycling rates were 5.7% lower in 2020 than they were in 2019. The reason? What you recycle doesn’t always get processed, says Boxed Water CRO Robert Koenen.

The Stats

We’re also consuming more single-use plastic than ever before. On average, 1,500 bottles are used every second of every day, Koenen says, which is why it’s so important to use fewer plastic items to begin with. Here’s how to cut back.

1. BYO Water Bottle

“By now everybody should have a refillable bottle that they carry with them,” Koenen says. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Just something you can take with you and refill so that you won’t be tempted to buy a drink in a plastic bottle.

2. Refuse Single-Use Plastics

Say no to plastic straws, cutlery, takeout containers, and any other single-use plastic item that’s offered to you, Koenen says.

There are a lot of great sustainable options that are transportable, like silicone straws, that make great replacements.

3. Avoid Aluminum

Even though it may seem like a better choice than plastic, aluminum is just as bad for the environment, Koenen warns. It’s made from non-renewable resources and also ends up in landfills, so skip cans as well.

4. Carry Shopping Bags

Grab a reusable shopping bag whenever you leave the house, or keep a pile of bags in the back of your car. “That’s an easy thing to do,” Koenen says. “Just keep throwing them in your car.”

5. Shop From Bulk Bins

Avoid plastic packaging at the grocery store by buying fresh foods and shopping from bulk bins, Koenen says. Bring your own bags and containers, scoop the ingredients, and you’ll be good to go.

6. Be Aware Of Micro-Plastics

Research your most used body care products — like toothpaste and face wash — to see if they contain micro-plastics.

By 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish, Koenen says, and a lot of it will be teeny tiny plastics that come from these items.

7. Shop From Sustainable Companies

When possible, buy from eco-friendly companies. Think: plastic-free cleaning brands or sustainable clothing brands. “The more you buy from these people, the more they’ll build,” Koenen says.

8. Vote With Your Dollar

By showing interest in sustainability, you’ll send a message to less environmentally-friendly companies. They’ll then want to hop on board and be more sustainable themselves, Koenen says.

It’s a ripple effect. “It comes down to one person, one vote, one dollar, each time.”

9. Reduce & Reuse

Stop shopping and reuse or repair what you already have, like containers, bags, clothing, etc. “Be mindful of using less overall,” Koenen says. “It’s simple, but it makes a big impact if everyone does it.”

10. Go To Clean-Up Days

About 9 million tons of plastic find its way to the ocean every year, Koenen says. Help lower that number by using fewer plastic items and by going to river and beach clean-up days to pick up stray bottles, cans, and bags.

11. Contact Your City

Write or call your city’s recycling program and ask if the items you recycle are actually being recycled. If certain items aren’t recycled, Koenen suggests asking them to make a change and following up until they do.

12. Talk To Friends

Chat with your friends about the changes they can make to use less plastic, and maybe even offer to buy them a reusable water bottle. Then tell them to pass it on. As Koenen says, “The more we spread awareness, the better this issue will get.”

13. Keep Recycling

While only 27% of bottles and 40% of cans are recycled, Koenen says it’s still worth a try. It’s better to be optimistic and keep recycling than to give up. “The more people who raise their voices, the more recycling will work.”

Make One Small Change

Even though the plastic problem may seem insurmountable, all these small changes add up. “Many hands make light work,” says Koenen. “There are 300 million people in this country. If you do one thing 300 million times, that makes a big difference.”