Disposable coffee cups
Disposable coffee cups can be found everywhere. Unfortunately, they are not the healthiest recipients one could use. First of all, they are not biodegradable, which means they remain unaltered for quite a while. Secondly, when used for hot drinks, they can release chemicals, which turn them into real health hazards.
The solution to avoid pollution and health problems caused by such cups is to use reusable ones. As with reusable bottles, reusable cups are way more practical, and you can even receive discounts if you use your own cup at certain coffee shops.
Plastic shopping bags
Plastic bags have been on the ban list for quite some time, with people opting for reusable and eco-friendly options. The first move was made by the authorities, who issued laws against the use of plastic bags. The movement was continued by retail shops. To encourage their customers to bring their own bags, many shops are charging for the use of disposable bags.
Read also: Think Twice Before Buying These 8 Groceries on Sale
Plastic straws
We might not like the paper straws instead of the plastic ones, as they become quite inefficient and dissolve in our beverages. But it was a starting point. An important one given that plastic straws are a major contributor to marine life pollution. In the attempt to eliminate plastic straws from our lives, we can always replace them with reusable straws made of metal, glass or bamboo, which are more sustainable and eco-friendly.
27 Responses
There’s only one snag to recycling. By the time you’ve sorted everything and taken it to the appropriate disposal points (assuming there are any), there’s no time left to do anything else.
We have single stream recycling in Baltimore County. Once a week, we set out any combination of carboard, papers, tin cans, bottles (plastic or glass) and wood products (broken down) and the conveyors and machines at the county’s processing plants sort everything. The days of having to tie together papers and cardboard have long since past by decades in my area.
If you’ve EVER gardened, you know paper anything is recyclable! Wood pulp! Cotton! And paper towels deteriorate pretty quickly! As does kleenex, although the fragrances and lotions are not good. Anyone with Septic or an RV knows about TP. And if you’re lucky (like some in Placer County) you live in a place where you don’t have to separate garbage from recyclables. They have a conveyor system that separates garbage and recycles easily and automatically. That’s what we need to push for, is more of these types of systems. But even in my area, I can put ALL recyclables (except batteries and other toxic items) in my recyle bin, and the waste company comes by every week with it’s robotic arms and dumps my recyle and my trash bin. They make it easier all the time, and people who don’t at least attempt to recycle are irresponsible. And before you go ballistic, that includes me, as I do what I can, but there’s ALWAYS more you can do with very little effort. I don’t want those who come after me, to blame me for problems that could and should have been prevented!
There are only a couple items that I still buy – like paper towels.
Some alternatives I did not know about – like bamboo products. I do have a bamboo filled pillow.
This has been very helpful. While I’m well-aware of so
Many
Of these no-no’s, I was spirited by some products I had no
clue of. Please keep us updated and info as to alternatives.
We need to save our planet!
Yep! Still getting them all….
Leaving up to libs to destroy us another way…
Yep! Still getting
them all….
Leaving it
up to
libs to
de st r o y us another way…
I’d say everyone I know uses and has most everyone of these items
I buy all of these things except the diapers. I refuse to be inconvenience just to save some trees or some such.
I had 6 babies and could not afford to pay for disposable diapers. Rincing them out and wasing them was not an inconvenience, but rather a responsibility and gift of love for my babies.
Well that’s a lovely attitude!
WOW… what a selfish pr—..
I stopped buying laundry detergent and shampoo over3 years ago. I buy baking soda in bulk. So I’m Clean, shiny and ‘Poo less’
Yes. I make earth friendly dishwasher pods, laundry detergent, cleaning products and skin products. Very cost effective and they work well. I have pets so I boil water and use a few drops of essential oils or cinnamon for room freshener after cooking fish or strong vegetables with an odor.
Wow those where a lot of things I use everyday. I will have to start practicing what it recommends like bringing my own bags when I go shopping. I learned from this and I hope others will too!
I think that you are spot on with these things. The issue that I have is getting people to listen and then to act on what they learned. Keep the good advice coming !!
I liked this article. I saved it.
I am 73 and must wear like an adult diaper because my bladder leaks. Is there another way I can exist without using them? Please suggest something.
Leaks are awkward, but rarely much liquid. Think of panty liners for absorption, but make them of real fabric. And they do make waterproof panty’s, which save clothing. Add cloth liners to these and you’ll have waterproof AND absorbent. And while the panty’s probably have some sort of plastics in them, they are at least washable and reusable.
This is ridiculous ! Stopping the use of plastic anything is stupid. What happened to recycling everything aluminum, plastic and paper! If humans are so smart than figure out the solution. What is next a ban on plastic diapers ! Choose your poison wisely !
I use paper towels because cloth rags and sponges are germ carriers and germ spreaders if not properly sanitized and changed out often. I use paper towels up to three times, such as wiping my hands, then using them to wipe spills on the counter and then finally, spills on the floor or pet messes. Then I throw them away. I also rip them up into smaller pieces since not every spill needs a full sized towel. I am trying to cut down on the waste, but I don’t think sponges or rags are really safe.
We are not going back said new moms about one month after using washable diapers for a short while. Just no.
Very very naughty list…?? Are you people nuts? Use the plastics in roads and sidewalks and stop banning everything! Use your brain to start stabilizing the waste so it doesn’t harm the environment!
Lots of environmental propaganda in here. The false statements are consistently mixed in with true ones. Too much hog wash to parse through.
These are not items that people are not buying anymore. These are items the author wants people to stop buying because the author is an environmental wacko. The proof is in the writing of each item. Each item is described as how bad it is for the environment and then an alternative is offered. Doesn’t say that people are now buying the alternative except for incandescent light bulbs. LED’s have replaced incandescent bulbs because of technology. I actually wanted an incandescent bulb for its heat to keep a water line from freezing. Could not find one anywhere. Had to buy a small space heater. Way more expensive and way more heat than I needed. I’m all for taking care of the environment, but not by the extreme measures of wacko environmentalists.
I can see the validity in several of these; coffee cups, and polystyrene are definitely on the list of NO.
However, diapers; cloth diapers are horrible when you have to be out in the public and need to change your baby. If there’s no place to dump the contents they stink. And the bleach isn’t great either. Everyone seems to be making stuff from bamboo; has anyone thrown of a disposable diaper from bamboo?
And I will keep my electric toothbrush. Make an ecological one but I’m not getting rid of it.
Yes. I make earth friendly dishwasher pods, laundry detergent, cleaning products and skin products. Very cost effective and they work well. I have pets so I boil water and use a few drops of essential oils or cinnamon for room freshener after cooking fish or strong vegetables with an odor.