From the cloth bag you should carry when you go to the supermarket to the bath soap, we share five ideas that make a difference.
Plastic is so present in everyday life that you could almost make a game of who can most quickly name the largest number of objects that contain this material.
Rita Tapadinhas (also known as Plant a Choice on Instagram) didn’t make a competition, but she didn’t spare in examples of objects, even unexpected ones, that can have plastic in them. Examples are chewing gum, tea bags, and cardboard cups.
That’s right. Even what looks sustainable, like the cardboard cups that are often sold to us as more environmentally friendly, may not be, as they may contain hidden plastic in their composition.
The plastic scourge is even more remarkable following the release of a new report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) which indicates that the annual production and volume of plastic waste has doubled in a 19-year period.
One of the culprits of this increase was the pandemic, since more plastic had to be used to produce medical and personal protective equipment, and also because once forced to stay at home, take-away often served us to break the routine as well as support restaurants (in this case used for a good cause).
The problem is that this plastic is not recyclable, as well as recyclable plastics that go for chemical recycling, a recent technique on the market.
According to the non-governmental organization (NGO) American Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), chemical recycling of plastic is a “false solution,” stated the“Jornal de Negócios” newspaper.
What then is the solution? Reduce production. “The world is drowning in plastic and we must turn off the tap,” says the NGO.
That step depends on the companies, but also on your role as a consumer. That’s why we propose some smart, practical, and easy exchanges to make a difference.
1. change the plastic supermarket bag for a cloth one
2. Adheres to bulk and avoids supermarket packaging
3. Use soapstone instead of laundry detergent
You can find them at Mind the Trash, Maria Granel, Mirística, Pegada Verde, and other ecological stores.
4. Use cloth napkins instead of paper
There are countless, but we suggest the recycled cotton napkins from the DoZero store.
5. Switch from liquid bath soap to solid soap
The main advantage: the variety and the possibility to buy without plastics or other materials involved. One of the cases is at Viv’a Granel, in Vale de Cambra and online.
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