No matter how much convenient single-use plastic items are, they are polluting our environment and health, equally! So why not let go of this pervasive and find eco-friendly alternatives?
From the black polybag that awaits your trash, a plastic container that lures you to store your food inside it to the bottle that you carry with you every time you step out and decorative elements that hang on your door from last Diwali, plastic is everywhere! It has leached into our lives so smoothly that we didn`t even bother to give it a second thought.
Be it our workplace, home, cafes, restaurants, movie theatres, or our bathrooms, appliances, computers, and clothing; this versatile item is omnipresent. The slow accumulation of plastic items has given birth to an enormous pile of plastic waste that lay dumped in our oceans, landfills, and local water bodies. Not only the aquatic life is exposed to grave dangers, but plastic waste has also made the land barren, threatening our entire ecosystem.
Due to our utter dependence and inadequate disposal of things like plastic cutlery and bags, our planet is dying a slow death! This is why immediate measures need to be taken, and plastic should be replaced with more eco-friendly alternatives. From biodegradable disposable tableware to cloth bags and glass bottles and compostable packaging in India are increasingly becoming popular (courtesy to the growing demands of green enthusiasts).
So, if you are all geared up for the removal of plastic in your abode as well as in your surrounding, here is a well-curated list of environmental-friendly alternatives:
Stainless Steel
We can`t rule out the durability and flexibility that steel utensils provide to every household. They are tough and can be easily washed and are unbreakable. You can replace kitchen storage boxes, single-use cups, lunch boxes, and plastic glasses with this durable metal. Or you can also bring home a set of eco-friendly disposable cutlery too!
Biodegradable Disposable Tableware
The major contributors to producing plastic waste are plastic spoon, fork, plates, cups, glasses, and straws. The matter of fact is that these items pend just a few minutes in your hands and then get dumped into the landfill. Due to their chemical composition, they are difficult to decompose and take millions of years for it.
Instead, replace them with eco-friendly disposable tableware that is made from sugarcane pulp, which makes them biodegradable and compostable. They are free from toxic chemicals and, thus, safe for kids, adults, and old aged people alike.
Wood
Wood is a perfect renewable natural resource. Disposable wooden spoons and biodegradable wooden spork derived from forests that are sustainably managed can be a great replacement for single-use plastic items.
Fiber Cloth
Replacing plastic bags with fiber cloth or jute bags can be an effective measure to counter plastic pollution. They can be reuse and recycle and can be washed every time they become dirty. You can not only save the environment`s health but cash also when you visit a grocery store.
Biodegradable Food Packaging
Snackers, cookies, cereals, cheese, tea, coffee, meat, and yogurt, most of the food items often come packed in plastic. Hence, you can opt for items that come in biodegradable food packaging that can be composted in a composting bin.
Glass
Inexpensive, inert, and infinitely recyclable! A glass bottle has many benefits to offer. They can be easily cleaned too and do not contaminate the water, no matter how long you have stored inside it. Apart from carrying water, many food items that come packed in glass jars is the most economical way to give your health a boost-up.
In our plastic-filled world, going completely plastic-free may appear like a chimera. But if you are determined, there are plenty of easy swaps that will help you begin to shun plastic. The more we focus on eco-friendly alternatives like biodegradable food packaging or sugarcane pulp plates, the amount of mindlessly tossed plastic waste will surely reduce.
