How do you minimize the use of plastic?
Gone are the days where Filipinos bring their bayong ( a traditional woven basket) to the market and used it to bring home their purchases. Instead supermarket are now using plastic bags. Everything is plastic. The basic needs that we use on a daily basis are in packaged in plastic. From your three in one coffee to your take out order from your favorite fast food, everything involves plastic. The problem with plastic is that it doesn’t dissolve. So everyday the pile of plastic collected from the garbage is getting higher. Last year the floods that country experienced is not entirely because of the typhoon. The poor garbage disposal is also a big factor that lead to massive flooding in the Philippines. Plastic and other garbage clogged the sewage and leads to the flooding.
So how do we minimize the use of plastic? These are some useful tips
1. 1. Use reusable or recyclable plastic packaging
2. 2. When your taking out food and plan to eat home, don’t ask for the plastic utensils. When buying your cup of Joe from your favorite coffee shop just bring your own mug. I think some coffee house offers incentive if you bring your own mug when purchasing their products.
3. 3. Use a fabric bag when going to purchase your grocery. Every time I go to SM north EDSA and purchase my groceries, I use the fabric bag and it doubles my reward point. Every Wednesday, the hypermarket in SM north EDSA would not put your groceries in plastic bag but they use paper bags instead. If you wish to purchase your plastic bag, you would have additional charges.
4. 4. If you’re buying single item, you don’t to ask for the plastic bag. Instead you could put your purchases in your bag or your pocket assuming that the item is not that bulky. This would help a lot in trying to minimize the use of plastic.
5. 5. Use the plastic bag you have collected and use them as trash bags. Maximize the use of trash bag. Don’t throw it when it is not that full yet.
Small steps would go a long way. The more plastic that we use, the more trees that we cut down. President Benigno Aquino III has declared support on banning single use plastic bags and other plastic based disposable containers during his campaign for presidency.
I agree with the small steps - just get started. Great suggestions. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHi, one of the best way of reducing plastic is by switching brand of your daily use product to environmental and eco-friendly product.
ReplyDeleteAn Environmental wellness company will come to Philippines in 1 or 2 years later, but I am still not very sure although our company established since 1985 in US.
If every household used concentrated products instead of grocery store brands, in 10 years we would save almost 7 billion pounds of plastic. That would be 58 billion lesser of plastic bottles in the world.
Hence, take note of this.
This is a nice article though not unusual. Just a bit of correction though. Alot of the plastic bags nowadays are actually made up of biodegradable materials. SM's bags are, if you look at the bottom of the plastic. According to my friend (who does articles for SM),if you leave it under the sun for some time, it dissolves. Bags by Fully Booked and Sanuk are likewise eco-friendly. In any case, your tips are great. I hope more people will exercise the habit of recycling when shopping.
ReplyDelete