Guest Post: Plastic-Free Living Is The Future. Here’s Everything You Need To Know!
- Brittany Westveer
- Jul 1, 2020
- 5 min read
Hello everyone! My name is Emma, the author of An Aesthete and Her Thoughts (anaestheteandherthoughts.com) and I am so excited to be collaborating with Consciously Eco today! In this post, I’ll be breaking down what plastic free living is, why it’s important, and how you can make small (but mighty!) shifts in your own lifestyle right now. It’s often overwhelming when we hear talk about environmentally friendly lifestyle shifts, so I’ve broken everything down into bite-sized pieces that are easy to understand. I hope you enjoy the post, and without further ado, let’s jump straight into it!
What Is Plastic-Free Living?
Plastic free, zero-waste or low-waste living are lifestyles in which an individual chooses to avoid buying plastic products, consume less, and waste less in their daily lives. Plastic-free living embodies the values of minimalism and essentialism, buying only what you need and products that will serve you for as long as possible.
When transitioning to a more low-waste lifestyle, conscious consumerism really comes into play. Luckily, in this day and age there are a plethora of environmentally friendly alternatives to the less sustainable staples that are commonly found in our homes.
While it is difficult at this point in time to be completely zero-waste, there are many different approaches to low-waste living. Remember, every small change you can make adds up over time! Whatever you choose to do, break it down into small bits so that it’s manageable. Don’t try to do everything at once because you’ll just get discouraged. It’s just like cleaning your house -- if you say “I need to clean and vacuum every room in my messy house that hasn’t been tidied in a month”, that is enough to frighten any motivation you initially had. On the other hand, if you tell yourself “I’m going to tidy this one shelf. That’s it, no big deal”, it’s super manageable. In fact, you may even get into a cleaning flow and go on to do more of the house because you want to. This is applicable to any area of your life that you want to change -- take it step by step, and you will eventually finish the marathon.
Why Plastic-Free?
Adopting a low-plastic or plastic free lifestyle has an abundance of benefits for ourselves, the environment, and society. Below, I’ll get into the details and facts of each category!
For our health
One aspect of plastic usage that is often overlooked is its effect on our health as individuals. Plastic, in all stages of production, distribution and disposal, poses a significant threat to human health. To begin, when plastic is produced from fossil fuels, workers are exposed to over 170 toxic chemicals that are linked with many diseases including cancer. Then, as the raw materials are refined into commercially usable plastics, more chemicals have the potential to cause harm to human workers.
This usually occurs through skin contact, inhalation and ingestion of microparticles in the workplace. When plastics are used by consumers, we are exposed to the toxic chemicals that go into making plastics when we use them. This happens once again through skin contact, inhalation and ingestion of microplastics. This poses a host of problems for us as consumers, as the chemicals found in many commercial plastics are linked to cancers, cardiovascular disease, and more.
According to the WHO, microplastics occur in much of our drinking water, tap water and bottled water. While effects of these microplastics have not been researched in detail and currently are of “low concern” to human health, it’s concerning to think that we are ingesting plastic on a daily basis.
Check out these sources below for more information:
Plastic Pollution Coalition, Report: Plastic Threatens Human Health at a Global Scale
Global News, Leslie Young. Microplastics are in our drinking water, but are of ‘low concern’ for human health: WHO report
Ecology Center, Adverse Health Effects of Plastics
Research Gate, Toxic effects of plastic on human health and environment : A consequences of health risk assessment in Bangladesh
For the environment
Hopefully we all know at this point that plastics are detrimental to the environment, but just how bad is the situation? Let me fill you in. By 2050, it’s predicted that there will be more pieces of plastic in the ocean than fish. The equivalent of one garbage-truck load of plastic makes its way into the ocean every minute. Every piece of plastic ever manufactured still exists because plastics can take hundreds to even thousands of years to decompose.
In addition to these terrifying stats, plastic debris kills countless numbers of wildlife every year. While I’m not saying that you need to give up plastic entirely right away, it is important to be aware of the issues we face as a global community. Please, take responsibility for our future on Earth and reduce your plastic consumption.
Check out these sources below for more information:
Center for Biological Diversity, Ocean Plastics Pollution
National Geographic, The World’s Plastic Pollution Explained
Non Plastic Beach, How Does Plastic Harm the Environment?
For the future of life on Earth
Ultimately, plastic is not sustainable for the future of the Earth. They are very difficult to safely dispose of, and cause all sorts of problems for ourselves and the environment. We can’t continue to clutter our environment at the rate that we currently are, and it will take everyone to create the type of revolution that we need for a healthy future on this planet. Lucky for you, there are tons of ways that you can reduce the amount of plastic that you consume!
What You Can Do To Begin Making The Switch Today
There are ways to make a difference that absolutely everyone can take part in. Here is a list of simple ways to reduce your waste. Why not be as kind as possible to yourself, others, and the Earth?
Buy bulk foods in reusable glass or metal containers
Buy plastic-free produce
Buy organic and plant-based clothing
Buy second-hand clothing
Buy second-hand appliances and household items
Buy sustainably produced and plastic free furniture
Brew your tea or coffee in a french press
Buy loose leaf teas
Use reusable cloths in the kitchen and bathroom in place of paper towels and face wipes
Buy zero waste makeup and skincare products
Use bar soaps, shampoo and conditioner
Use a reusable safety razor
Research sustainable alternatives to items you use every day
Buy sustainably made and non-plastic phone cases
Use non-plastic straws and utensils
Buy less online
Make gifts for those you love
Wrap gifts using biodegradable papers or reusable paper bags
Stop (or reduce) buying plastic beverage bottles
I hope that this article empowers you to make individual change. While it can be disheartening to see the statistics on the global environmental crises we face today, we can all come together to create a green revolution. By collectively taking small steps every day, we will change the world for the better. Remember that many raindrops have the power to carve stone over time!
Please make sure to check out my blog, An Aesthete and Her Thoughts, as well as my Instagram and Pinterest pages (@anaestheteandherthoughts) for more content inspiring you to live the best and most sustainable version of your life. In the meanwhile, have a gorgeous day full of joy and light,
Emma
Photo by Hello I'm Nik 🎞 on Unsplash
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