Living a healthier lifestyle usually boils down to removing what new bad habits we’ve developed over the years.
Our diet is one such example. Before adding nutrients and anything fancy you’ve heard of that you want to try to feel fresher, look younger, boost your metabolism, or else, you first need to get rid of anything that isn’t what your body needs.
Breaking an old pattern isn’t an easy thing, though. But it is what leads to a safe, long, and fulfilling life. Now, I want to bring to your attention to something we can all remove from it, that will bring not just these benefits, but is good for the environment too.
That’s the excessive use of plastic, that we most often don’t even realize is such an ingrained habit of ours.
Plastic pollution is a major problem, and if we aren’t concerned, it means we haven’t done our research.
It’s easy to avoid such things when we’re focused on the problems in daily life. But you might be amazed at what a big part plastic – in different forms – plays in your lifestyle.
Let’s see what are some easy ways to reduce plastic usage and waste:
1. Enough with the plastic bottles.
Did you know that Americans throw away 35 billion of these every year?
You might think it’s a must on the way to work, or during your break, or when away for the weekend. But it’s not like that.
In fact, there’s a pretty simple solution to the plastic bottle issue – stop buying these and use a refillable bottle instead. It’s like with a mobile phone – you use it on a daily basis when you want to text someone, the same you use your favorite refillable bottle when you want to drink.
Get one today and give it some time until you learn how to always have it with you, wherever you go.
2. Forget about plastic bags.
Plastic bags take years to decompose. They are harmful to the environment and to wildlife and require quite a lot of resources to be created.
How will you do the groceries, you may ask. Or maybe you often end up in stores buying small goods and don’t have a place to put them in.
Well, just bring your own shopping bag. It’s a small thing you can start doing that will make a big difference to the world around you over the course of your life.
You can start by using polythene bags which are eco-friendly alternatives to plastic bags.
3. Make a small adjustment to your coffee ritual.
Another way to make your life healthier and to reduce the impact of plastic on the environment is to switch to reusable coffee cups.
The main reason being that the billions of disposable ones thrown away every year harm forests, climate, water, and – ultimately – people.
4. You don’t really need straws.
This might be an eco-unfriendly practice you’ve developed over the years, but it can easily become a tiny sacrifice you make for the greater good.
Straws are never used more than once, so kindly order your drinks without these. Don’t be ‘a plastic lady’ on a date! Stop using these unnecessary additions and taste your drink directly from a glass.
Let’s face it. We don’t really need straws to enjoy a drink. It doesn’t make the consumption or taste any better but instead, it’s often polluting oceans killing the marine fauna.
5. Change the way you store your food.
If you take a look around your kitchen, you might see more plastic than you expected. But such containers aren’t really the best way for your family to store food.
Even doctors are suggesting you get rid of such items as they go together with toxins and have even been linked to some serious diseases.
One simple way to make a switch from wrapping food in plastic bags is to use glass containers.
6. Buy less packaged food.
You’ve probably taken the decision to eat healthier at least a few times over the years. And know pretty well that one sure way to do this is done shop smarter at the grocery store.
Even kids know that what comes in a package is most often not the freshest thing to put in your mouth or something that contains additives.
That’s true and if you start doing that (at least do it less for a start), you’ll also reduce the plastic in your daily life.
The first things to remove off of your shopping list are juices and fizzy drinks.
7. Keep your home clean without plastic.
Another way in which plastic gets to us is – again at home – for cleaning purposes.
Some of the most useful life hacks out there advise people to clean almost anything in their house with DIY products.
One such idea is to utilize baking soda.
Combining vinegar and water can then become all you need to keep surfaces clean and shiny.
There are some creative ways to make your laundry plastic-free too. By making your own soap, for instance.
8. Plastic-free appearance and hygiene.
Last but not least, let’s look at the cosmetics you use daily. Plastic is hiding there too and in big amounts.
The quickest thing you can do here that will be quite beneficial is to give up the liquid hand soap and go back to using the standard one.
Find plastic-free razors, dental floss, containers for lotions and other cosmetics, and hair accessories.
All of these changes can happen over time. You might want to start by reading the labels of anything you pick before buying it, and just begin by choosing one item you need weekly or so, and finding the best replacement for it.
Removing plastic isn’t something that means sacrificing your comfort, good looks, or tasty food.
It’s all about shifting your mindset and realizing the harm it does to your body and to anything and anyone around you.
About The Author:
Sarah Williams encourages others to live healthily and positively. She regularly shares her thoughts about maintaining a healthy lifestyle full of enriching social interactions. Currently, she’s a happy lifestyle coach at Wingman Magazine.