Use less plastic and be more eco-friendly with these simple household swaps. Includes a simple science experiment to do with the kids!
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Living by the ocean has taught me one thing. We use too much plastic. Nothing frustrates me more than walking along the beach and seeing plastic straws and food wrappers dotting the landscape. Except perhaps the knowledge that those plastic bits aren't just an eyesore, but a danger to sea animals and our environment.
The Biggest Threat to Sea Life is Us
The ocean contains 99% of the living space on the planet, and up to 80% of all life on earth. It's a vast and rich environment that is critically important to us all, yet we have been treating it like a giant garbage dump for far too long.
Take whales as just one example. Whales have taken a lot of abuse at the hands of humans, as many species were nearly driven to extinction by commercial whaling. Now that it has been banned in many places around the world, those species are beginning to come back. However, there is another threat that we all have a part in spreading.
Plastic.
It is believed that there are over 5 TRILLION pieces of plastic debris in the ocean. Over 1 million sea birds and 100,000 marine creatures die from entanglement or ingestion of plastic every year. And these numbers will continue to grow if we do not make some changes.
Each of us has the power to use less plastic in our daily lives and help slow the spread of garbage into our oceans and into the bellies of whales and other marine life. It's easy to do with a few simple swaps in your everyday household items.
Want to see this idea in action? Check out the video below for a simple science experiment you can do with your kids to show how long plastic stays in water.
Simple Swaps to Help You Use Less Plastic
Look around your home and you'll probably find lots of single use plastic items. Just by replacing these with more sustainable and reusable products, you can make a difference in the amount of plastic clogging our oceans and landfills.
Here are 12 simple swaps you can do right now to use less plastic.
| INSTEAD OF: | TRY USING: |
Plastic Shopping Bags
Grocery Produce Bags
Plastic Wrap
Plastic Baggies
Plastic Straws
Bottled Water
Plastic Storage Bags
Plastic Cleaning Bottles
Plastic Hand Soap Bottles
Disposable Silverware
Party Balloons
Balloon Releases
|
Reusable Totes
Cotton Produce Bags
Beeswax Wrap
Reusable Storage Bags
Bamboo, Metal, or Glass
Refillable Bottle
Glass Storage Containers
Refillable Glass Bottles
Refillable Glass Bottles
Bamboo Cutlery
Paper Lanterns
Soap Bubbles |
How to Find Sustainable Alternatives to Plastic
As you're starting to move away from plastics to more eco-friendly options you may find that the choices are overwhelming. How can you be sure that you are actually using products that are better than what you are throwing out?
There's a really simple way to figure it out, by shopping with a company that ensures that every product it offers meets high for non-toxicity, efficacy, and sustainability, and is cruelty-free. And that company is Grove Collaborative.
I shop for most of my household essentials through Grove, and have made the switch from single use bags and plastic straws to more sustainable alternatives. Grove makes it easy to find everything you family needs, delivered right to your home.
Check out Grove Collaborative now and get a FREE gift with your first $20 purchase! Join today to get a FREE Mrs. Meyer's full size starter set!
Family Dinner Book Club Makes a Difference for Whales
For our whale themed Family Dinner Book Club month, go through your home together and make a list of all the single use plastic items you can find. Then use my simple swap list to see what you can replace. Make a plan to share these ideas with your friends and at your school to help spread the word about how reducing our plastic use can make a difference for our ocean friends.
Then, head to Growing Book by Book for a list of children's books about whales.
Then check out Chef Sarah Elizabeth's mouth watering themed menu too!
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