As 2018 gets underway, the pressure to keep up a New Year’s resolution is still fresh in our minds. While there are many possible positive changes that can be made throughout 2018, one that you may not have considered is how to reduce your harm to the planet! Taking care of your body and mind should always be a goal, but what about taking care of the Earth? According to the New York Times, about 300 million pounds of plastic is produced globally each year, and only about 10% of that is recycled. With that being said, here are some easy ways to reduce your plastic consumption on campus!
Get a Reusable Grocery Bag
Each year 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide, or about one million per minute! Say no to plastic bags and get a reusable tote bag to do your weekly grocery shopping. There are tons of cute ones on Amazon like the one shown above. No need to spend very much money on a reusable bag, simply find an inexpensive one or even use your backpack!
Eliminate Plastic Eating Utensils
With plastic utensils being available at both the dining halls and the markets, many students choose to use these instead of choosing reusable silverware for dorm rooms or dining hall meals. However, reusable silverware is available both online or in nearly any local store for low prices and can cause a big change! Investing in a set of reusable silverware can drastically cut down the amount of plastic waste you’re producing daily.
Invest in Stainless Steel Reusable Straws
Plastic straws are something that are used daily on campus in the dining halls, but most of us rarely think of what happens to them after we dispose of them and get on with our day. In reality, plastic straws are one of the most prevalent and most harmful polluters of the world’s oceans. A simple way to eliminate your use of plastic straws is to get a set of stainless steel reusable drinking straws. They are super easy to find on Amazon and also can make any drink instantly more Insta-worthy. These are super easy to throw in your backpack or even gym bag to use instead of plastic straws with your soda or post workout smoothie.
Make Your Own Products
One thing that I was very intrigued to learn is how easy it is to make your own toiletries products, and can also be a fun project! Things like body butter and even toothpaste are super fun and simple to make and are easy ways to eliminate all the plastic that comes with the packaging when purchasing goods at a store. Recipes like the one shown in this video are great projects for a night in with your girlfriends and will leave your skin as well as the Earth feeling healthy and happy!
While these are just a few changes that can be made to your everyday life, they can have large effects on the the environment! They seem like insignificant choices, but you as a consumer have so much power when it comes to what you choose to buy. One of the best ways overall to be a more sustainable consumer is to look for quality brands that value transparent supply chains and reducing their pollution during the production process. With these tips, go forth and go green!