How to Break-Up With Plastic and Help Save the Planet

Plastic bags are on the way out, but here are five more steps you can take to break-up with plastic.

If you’ve been keeping up with the latest ‘bag’ news, you might know Australia is ramping up its fight against plastic.

In fact, from the July 1, 2018, bans on the use of plastic bags are set to go into effect in the states of Queensland and Western Australia.

So, this got us thinking: If we’re already going to break-up with plastic bags, why not go one step further? Or maybe even five!

The world already produces more than 260 million tonnes of plastic each year. If that’s not scary enough, scientists warn that if we continue to throw out rubbish at the speed we do now, plastic rubbish will outweigh fish in the oceans by 2050.

So, we know plastic is bad; it’s not biodegradable, it pollutes the environment and it is a danger to wildlife and aquatic life. However, its versatility and practicality has made it an inevitable and seemingly irreplaceable necessity in our everyday lives, whether we admit it or not.

Building on from recycling, what else can we do to reduce the amount of plastic we’re going through every day?

1. Switch to a bamboo toothbrush.

In Australia alone, more than 30 million toothbrushes are used and thrown away each year, equalling one million kilos of toothbrush waste. Luckily, there are plenty of natural toothbrushes out there, such as these bamboo ones that are biodegradable and environmentally sustainable.

2. Buy bar soap.

Unlike liquid soap, these don’t come in a plastic container! If you check out your local pharmacy, there should be plenty of natural options for you, such as The Goat Soap. Some come wrapped in plastic, but if you can find ones wrapped in paper that’s even better!

3. Beat the heat with a glass bottle!

We’re all guilty of occasionally shunning the traditional refillable bottle for the convenience of disposable plastic bottles. Break the habit with a stylish glass bottle. Pop in a sprig of mint and a slice of lemon, and you’ll have everyone wanting one too!

4. Ditch the straw.

In the United States alone, 500 million plastic straws are used every day, and once thrown out, they each find their way into landfill or into the ocean, where it causes harm to marine animals. (See this endangered sea turtle having a plastic straw removed from its nostril.) If you can, switch to a reusable glass straw such as one of these, or better yet, ditch straws in general!

5. Go for reusable sandwich bags.

Instead of bringing your sandwich to school or work in a plastic bag, try a glass lunch box or paper bag. I promise you won’t notice the difference and your lunch will taste equally as delicious!

Vivian Chen is one of Student Edge’s student contributors. See more student contributions here.

Photo: iStock.com/Maor Winetrob