Like you, I often get frustrated with myself when I reach for the plastic wrap or gallon-sized plastic storage bag to save my leftover bowl of spaghetti or half-eaten avocado. I know this is not a sustainable choice and it’s been weighing on my conscious each time. I know it is wrong, but yet what are the first steps to change these habits?
In my last blog post, I highlighted the way that single-use plastic straws are harming our environment and killing our marine life. You probably know already the damage our modern society is doing to our planet. Yet, you are not sure where to start when making these positive changes in your family’s daily lives. We all get stuck in our routines when running a busy household and trying to save time. I get it. I am a mom of 3 daughters under the age of 10. Somedays, it is hard to keep my head above water, and yet, I can be plagued with guilt when we realize the modern-day conveniences are harming our health and environment.
According to BeesWrap.com, an “estimated 8 million metric tons of plastics enter the ocean each year — adding to the estimated 150 million metric tons already circulating there. Plastic already outweighs plankton in our seas, and if we don’t shift course, plastic could outweigh fish in the ocean in 30 years.” These statistics are staggering. Our family has successfully made the switch to reusable stainless steel and silicone straws, but I know that is not enough.
This is why I have spent hours researching and testing alternatives to single-use plastic products so that I can give you a quick, easy advantage when shopping for sustainable, reusable products. Not only will these eco-friendly tips help you protect the environment, but eliminating plastics from your home will also benefit your family’s health (more on that soon in upcoming blog posts)!
Follow these 3 easy steps to make a positive change for you and your family.
1. Learn more about the environmental harm caused by single-use plastics so you are armed with the knowledge to make a positive impact. I’ve linked to a few resources to get you started.
- Ocean Life Eats Tons of Plastic—Here’s Why That Matters
- From sea to plate: how plastic got into our fish
- How Plastics Affect Sea Turtles
2. Click here to get these 10 simple eco-friendly swaps for your family.
3. Start with one purchase and make the switch! Not sure where to start? Consider one (or both) of these simple switches.
Stasher bags are great for packing to-go snacks and even storing leftovers in the refrigerator. These bags are made of 100% platinum food-grade silicone and contain no plastic or harmful chemicals. To learn more, head to www.stasherbag.com. I love the information on their website and the Plastic-free Pledge you can take. I really connected to this part of the pledge:
“I will make conscious decisions in everything I consume: reducing first, reusing wherever possible and recycling when necessary.”
from https://www.stasherbag.com/pages/pledge
Beeswax wrap — While Stasher bags are great for packing to-go snacks and such, I don’t currently have a solution for what do do when I have half an avocado or half of a cantaloupe. Normally, I would use a gallon-sized plastic storage bag or plastic wrap, but I know this is not a sustainable choice. During my extensive research, I came across a great solution: beeswax wrap. There is one company that seems to be very promising, Bee’s Wrap. I placed my first order and can’t wait to get it in the mail! I love this company’s mission and all the information I gleaned from their website.
I hope these tips help you! It certainly has helped our family. Don’t forget to click below to get the guide to 10 Simple Eco-Friendy Swaps and leave a comment to let me know how these changes are going for you!
P.S. – Do you want to eliminate harmful chemicals in your home? Sign up to receive my Ultimate Guide to Shopping without Chemicals! Plus, I’ll share easy-to-implement, weekly tips for living a healthy and eco-friendly lifestyle. I’ve found that many busy moms struggle with just trying to keep up with life’s daily demands and that they don’t have enough time to focus on making healthier choices for their families. I am passionate about helping women find simple ways to make healthy changes.
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