5 easy ways for you to reduce plastic waste this #PlasticFreeJuly

With the growing threat of plastic pollution in oceans, rivers, lakes and even tap water you might want to help contribute to reducing plastic waste. Zero waste is very hard but reducing your plastic footprint by 80% can be relatively easy and have a positive long-term impact. Join the Plastic Free July movement, and give plastic a rest this July! Here are 5 easy ways you can help:

1) Shop without plastics

Always bring your own reusable bags for grocery and other shopping. Shop vegetables and fruits in a local market where they will weight and package the products in your bags, and avoid plastic wrapping entirely. Always select products without plastic packaging if possible. For items which might "drip", carry glass jars, or Tupperware-type containers. Beeswax wrapping can be used to replace plastic wrap.

2) Buy biodegradable plastics

Your garbage needs to go somewhere so it’s difficult to avoid plastic bags. Thankfully there are biodegradable options that don’t cost much more. The same thing is true for diapers which are the third most disposed plastic in volume in Europe and North America. Most parents find cloth diapers too much work and therefore biodegradable diapers such as Naty and Bambo Nature are viable options. These products any many more biodegradable alternatives are easily available on Amazon as well as in your local "bulk" store.

3) Avoid bottled water

Plastic bottles are the most common garbage found in the ocean. Contribute by saying no to single-use plastic entirely at home, in restaurants and while traveling. If you don’t like the taste of the tap water at home or you’re concerned about the quality then get an affordable carbon block water filter. Sometimes we have to replace one single-use plastic with another plastic such as in the case of Brita water filters. TAPP water now provides a sustainable alternative to plastic bottles, using biodegradable water filter cartridges. When you’re on the go always bring a refillable water bottle. See our the app for places to fill up free of charge, with worldwide coverage.

4) Eat out

Now you have an excuse to avoid cooking. Dine-in restaurants are generally more environmentally friendly in terms of energy usage and waste. Especially compare to lunch meals packages in single-use plastics. It’s also proven that you will live longer if you take the time to enjoy your meals. Avoid takeaway food at all cost, unless you manage to bring your own containers.

5) Avoid buying stuff you don’t really need

Plastic products are cheap. Much too often we buy things that we don’t need, which end up in the drawer or trash after a few uses. Think twice before you buy things and pay a bit extra for quality (and the lifetime of a product) for the devices you use a lot such as a blender or coffee maker.

There you go. Reducing plastic use in your life can be easy. The above 5 tips will cut down plastic waste by about 80% for the average person. Just do it!