How to Cut Down on Plastic Waste Products

Everyone's looking to live green. Recycling plastic products and choosing other packaging alternatives will cut down on plastic waste. Combining the two ideas would make a tremendous difference in the amount of plastic materials that are cluttering up our landfills and harming our birds, animals and even our food supplies.

Go green to save the earth.

1.Step 1
Shop with tote bags that you can use for years and forgo those cheap plastic bags. They strangle birds and are eaten by various animals which often kills them. Since they are made from petroleum products, when they are buried in landfills or eaten by animals that become food, they are also poisoning our food supplies. Sturdy tote bags with strong handles will carry your groceries much more efficiently and will also help you to cut back on plastic waste.

2.Step 2
Donate your plastic bags to the local animal shelter or vet for cleaning. Take them to a private thrift store or resale shop or to churches that have food pantries or clothing giveaways. Use them in small wastebaskets throughout the house and keep a small stash of them in the car.

3.Step 3
Reuse bigger items in the yard. Saving the handle and the bottom of the jug, cut milk jugs to use for pouring liquid fertilizers. Poke holes in the bottom and use it to spread grass seeds, fertilizer and other dry goods outdoors. Let kids play with the cut plastic jugs like shovels in the sandbox or at the beach.

4.Step 4
Recycled plastic coffee containers are great for dry food storage, for painting, for holding building blocks or crayons for children and for holding garbage that will go into the compost heap. Put the lid on and cut an X in the middle of the lid. Now you can store your grocery store bags. You can also store rags in them. Wet small rags in a solution of water and household cleaner such as pine or ammonia or even vinegar and wring out and then store the rags inside the canister to be pulled out when needed for quick clean ups. You can also store rolled up extension cords in these, extra phone cords and things that tangle easily.

5.Step 5
Use small plastic containers with lids to store nails, screws and other small workshop items. They're also great for small paint jobs, or for small amounts of leftovers in the fridge or freezer. With a little potting soil, you can use them to grow starter plants and they're also good to use for banks. Just make a slit in any sized container and fill it with change.

6.Step 6
Buy less plastic. Opt for packaging that is more environmentally friendly, such as paper or cardboard. If you can only find plastic buy the item that uses the least or buy large containers to have one to reuse rather than many small ones. Look at the packaging to see if it can be used after the product is gone as well. Always look at the packaging to see if it can be used after the product is gone as well. Always try to buy things that state they’re made from recycled materials, too. For more ideas, visit Green Boot Camp online. The URL is listed below. With a little forethought, it's easy to cut way down on plastic waste and do your part to help the environment.









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