Every year, July is a month where many people and companies try to go plastic free to raise awareness for how detrimental single-use plastics are to our environment. PCG Companies decided to join in this year and see how we could better ourselves. Chances are you’ll see the #PlasticFreeJuly hashtag quite a bit and you can learn more about it here.
As one of the resident surfers and environmentalists at PCG, I decided to share some facts about plastic use and tips on how to reduce and reuse things that are usually discarded and left to rot in landfills or the ocean for hundreds of years.
Bag It
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, each household in America uses 1,500 plastic bags every year. Each time you use one of these bags at a supermarket or convenience store for a minor purchase, that bag ends up in a landfill or the ocean. These plastics are causing a major problem in the ocean.
Reusable bags are the answer here. We plan on encouraging all of our co-workers to keep a reusable bag in their vehicle in order to avoid having to use plastic bags. Sure, some grocery stores are recycling these bags now, but reducing is always better than recycling in the scheme of things because the process of recycling still produces waste. Reusable bags can be used at any store, not just grocery stores. Just tell the clerk you brought your own bag!
In the Lunch Room
This is an area where all offices can get better and eliminate lots of single-use plastics. Styrofoam is getting banned in major cities for a reason. It’s a harmful plastic that can’t be recycled and is often used for plates and to-go containers. Getting regular plates and silverware is an easy solution to this problem as many offices now have a dishwasher or at least a sink to wash things in. Get a drying rack and say goodbye to plastic silverware and plates!
The same goes for sandwich and snack bags. There are plenty of reusable options like metal or glass containers that can fit an entire lunch. Even cute ones that are shaped like a sandwich or a slice of pizza!
Plastic Straws and Water Bottles
These may seem like little, inconsequential things, but they’re having a major impact here along the Jersey Shore and across the globe. Plastic straws and water bottles are everywhere. It’s hard to walk down a city street or a beach without seeing one of these discarded.
The problem is that these break down in the ocean and look like food to sea creatures that then eat them. We then turn around and eat these plastic filled fish at dinner. That’s just one reason why convincing friends and family to say no to plastic straws offered at restaurants, or to buy a metal canteen to drink from in the office is more important than ever. There are plenty of ways to reduce your plastic use. If you want to join the challenge, feel free to give us a call and tell them Nick sent you.
[Click here to see our infographic featuring some alarming facts about single-use plastics.]