NCP Blog: Celebrate Earth Day with Reusable Products

Earth Day is next week on April 22!

 

On April 22, 1970, an estimated 20 million Americans took to the streets and parks to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies. Since that first Earth Day, the celebration has evolved into the largest civic event in the world as billions of people work to protect our planet.

 

The theme for this year’s Earth Day is Planet vs. Plastics. According to earthday.org, their goal is to phase out single-use plastic items and to encourage a 60% reduction in all plastic products by 2040. So, today I want to share with you some ideas for reducing single-use plastics in our daily lives by investing in their reusable counterparts.

 

Easy reusable product swaps

 

Have you ever thought about all the items you use on a daily basis, and where they end up? So much of what we buy ends up in landfills, such as plastic packaging used on products to food waste and more. There are lots of options for replacing disposable items with reusable options! Here are a few I’ve incorporated in my household.

 

Water Bottles: Instead of buying bottled water, I have several reusable water bottles on hand at home. Many places now offer water bottle filling stations, so you can refill your bottle. Many convenience stores will now let you refill your own cup or bottle with soda from their fountain machines instead of using their plastic or styrofoam cups.

 

Shopping bags: Reusable shopping bags have been popular for quite some time, and many cities have started banning plastic bags at stores. It can be hard to get in the habit of keeping bags in your car- and putting them back in the car after unloading groceries in your house! But, once you get used to it, it’s a great way to cut down on your use of plastic bags.

 

Produce bags: You can also buy reusable produce bags to carry in the grocery store, replacing the plastic bags used for bagging individual fruits and vegetables!

 

Straws: Reusable straws are another popular item to help reduce plastic waste. You can find them made of metal, silicone, glass, and other materials. Plus, there are many types of folding reusable straws that are easy to keep in your car, purse, or pocket. Just remember to clean them after you use them!

 

Paper towels or napkins: My household goes through so many paper towels, and I’m hoping to switch to reusable towels this year. It’s as simple as purchasing a package of cleaning cloths and using those instead of reaching for the paper towels. They can easily be washed and reused many times. I’ve already stopped buying paper napkins for regular daily use, and instead we use cloth napkins.

 

Sandwich and other plastic bags: Plastic bags are great for packing lunches, separating snacks, and storing small items. But, they can add up to a lot of plastic waste. Reusable silicone bags are a great option to replace disposable bags. They’re easy to wash, last a long time, and you can find them in almost any size.

 

Looking for more ideas? You can find a list of 36 reusable versions of household items in this article from Reader’s Digest.

 

 

 

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