Boycott Plastic! (Or, at least, try to)

Today’s environmental topic…

HOW PLASTIC OVERUSE IS HARMFUL and WHAT YOU CAN DO TO REDUCE IT. Many of us unknowingly waste tons of plastic every day, oblivious to the amount we waste. We pack food in plastic Ziploc bags for lunch, we go to work or school with a new plastic water bottle every day, we grab convenient plastic Target bags instead of investing in reusable ones.

You may be thinking: "So what if I use plastic bags when I shop? So what if I drink from a plastic water bottle each day? It's not like I'm using a lot of plastic-- it's only one plastic bag, only one water bottle!" And yes, it is very easy to think that these small actions will amount to nothing in the end. HOWEVER, as we all know (either from thought or experience), small actions can lead up to huge results. And we need to reflect upon ourselves and decide which impact we want to make. Do we want to hurt our environment? Or help it?

Okay, so what do I need to do?

1. TAKE AN HONEST LOOK AT YOURSELF. Assess your own plastic usage by asking two questions: How many disposable plastic items do I use in a day? And how many of those items are unnecessary? Take two minutes to chart out a list of what plastic items you use in a typical day. Chances are, once you think about your own plastic usage, you’ll find around 3-5 items in which you unnecessarily waste daily. Once you self-assess your own plastic usage, you can see a full overview of how much plastic waste you cause and how much harm that could be to the environment. And once you identify the problem, you can start devising a solution.

2. INFORM OTHER PEOPLE—THE WORD OF MOUTH. This step is one of the most useful ways in combating climate change, and yet, it is one that is faced with the most reluctance. People worry about spreading their opinions for the fear that they will come off as pushy, or even just plain weird. But we are all blessed with voices-- so USE THEM!! Never be afraid to let people know where you stand; and you might be surprised at the results! Instead of coming off as pushy, you'll appear determined and wilful. And informing others about the climate crisis is a huge step in the right direction. The climate crisis, while it will be helped immensely by our own individual actions, will not be affected by our actions alone-- in order for us to reverse it, EVERYONE needs to contribute. This problem will not be solved with just one person stepping in the right direction. It will be solved with many stepping in the right direction. So, to reiterate, SPREAD THE WORD, whether it is face-to-face or on social media!! Making our voices heard is supremely important. And sure, you may face people who are hard to sway or slow to believe-- do not be discouraged by this, as there will always be skepticism in your path! Instead, use their ignorance to fuel your own ambition.

3. CREATE A PLAN. Here is where step 1 comes into play. Take a look at your chart of plastic items you use in an average day. How many of these items can you replace with non-plastic alternatives? Think: plastic straws to metal straws, or plastic bags to fabric bags. What may seem as a daunting task will actually become extremely easy once you create a plan. If you need more guidance on how to limit plastic usage, search up some nifty solutions online, or comment on this blog post! When you finish creating your plan, discuss it with your family to see if they can also help reduce plastic in your household.

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