By Sarah Sharkey
Plastic is everywhere and unfortunately too much of it finds its way to the ocean. Its presence pretty much affects all creatures of the sea in a negative way. Most notability, sea turtles mistake plastic bags for jellyfish and eat them, which obviously results in some terrible health problems.
When you think about it plastic, is pretty much in all parts of our lives, but with these simple methods, you can cut back on your plastic consumption dramatically and in turn help keep the ocean clean!
1. Invest in Reusable Shopping Bags
This may seem like a no-brainer, but if everyone made an effort to remember to bring their own bags, we would have a lot less plastic waste. I realize that it is easy to forget them, so I like to leave my reusable bags in the car so I always have them when I get to the grocery store. And if you get this bag you’ll be supporting a wonderful conservation organization at the same time.
Bonus – some states actually charge you for using plastic bags, so you’ll save a few nickels at the market when you bring your own bags.
2. Get Reusable Bottles
Plastic water bottles are the bane of my existence. They are all over the place! Usually only half empty but nobody will finish it off. And they all end up in the landfill. If you buy a nice reusable water bottle, you will never have to spend money on plastic water bottles again.
3. Bring your Own Container
Every time I go out to eat, I end up taking home a doggie bag because my eyes are bigger than my stomach. I have started to bring my own glass to-go container because it pains me to use the plastic ones the restaurant offers. It just seems so wasteful to me. By bringing your own container to restaurants, you can seriously cut back on your plastic consumption and have a perfectly good reason to avoid overeating.
4. Stop Using Plastic Straws
When you think about it, we use these things all the time and we really do not need them. If you just say no to plastic straws at restaurants, you will be able to reduce the number that end up in the landfill.
5. Don’t use air fresheners
Light a candle instead of using a plug-in air freshener. These air fresheners are made of plastic and the refills come in plastic containers. By using a candle you will be cutting plastic out of your life, and you will get the added bonus of a candlelit ambiance.
Please seriously consider making these simple things a part of your everyday life! I promise that although these changes may be small, they make a huge impact on our world and the creatures in it!