The recent crusade against straws is not about the measly straw itself — the straw is symbolic of all unnecessary plastic use. The straw is a reminder to be conscious of how much waste you produce and how easy it is to cut down. Do you really need a straw in your water or a plastic lid to top off your coffee cup? Probably not.
3 Things To Know:
1. China no longer buys as much of our recycled materials
2. Many people participate in wishful recycling
3. Switching to paper products isn’t much better for the environment
China no longer buys as much of our recycled materials. It is important to consider the entire supply chain from raw materials to end of useful life when choosing what product meets your needs and how much utility you will derive from it. Recycling is a business: waste materials are purchased and reprocessed to be used as raw materials in a new product. China, which used to be the world’s largest buyer of recyclable material, announced in January 2018 that it will no longer accept certain paper and plastic materials. Some recycling inevitably ends up in landfills because it is either contaminated with un-recyclable products or there is no buyer for the waste.
Many people participate in wishful recycling. Items such as paper coffee cups (most are lined with polyethylene), greasy cardboard takeout boxes, yogurt containers, and plastic bags are typically not recyclable. If you are unsure whether something is suitable for recycling or if you don’t feel like thoroughly washing your containers, it is best to toss your items instead of possibly contaminating the recycling batch. Even a small amount of food scraps (such as a greasy cardboard box or an unwashed takeout container) can make the entire batch of materials not suitable for recycling, causing it to be diverted to landfills instead.
Switching to paper products isn’t much better for the environment. Plastic is made from petroleum byproducts. In other words, it is made from something that is already extracted from the earth anyway. Using paper products isn’t much better for the environment since paper straws and paper packaging are made from trees. If the demand of paper goes up, so will the demand for cutting down more of the raw material — the trees themselves. Moreover, paper products take more energy and water to produce than plastic.
A landfill is lined so that nothing decomposes into the surrounding soil. If your paper straw or takeout box has food residue, it will end up in a landfill anyway, taking up more space than it’s plastic counterpart. If any products are marketed as “compostable” then you must actually compost it for it to realize that potential. Otherwise, a compostable product will sit in a landfill as well.
Does this sound overwhelming? Trust me, it is not hard to make better choices! Avoid single use disposable products as much as you can. Notice how much trash is produced when you grab lunch to go. If you pick up a sandwich, say no to the extra bag that typically comes with the wrapped sandwich and just carry it. Every little bit can make a difference!
3 Things You Can Do Now:
1. Bring your own bags
2. Refill your water bottle
3. Stop using straws
Here are my go-tos to reduce how much daily garbage I produce. Once you develop your own routine, it is very easy to keep it up!
Reisenthel Smart Shopper Foldable Bag
This bag is extremely lightweight and I use mine daily. I love this bag so much that I even gave them out as favors at a party! It is very easy to wash - simply throw it in with your laundry in cold water and hang it to dry. Keep in mind that according to the Economist, “a cotton tote bag must be used 131 times before greenhouse-gas emissions from making and transporting it improve on disposable plastic bags.” Instead of buying brand new reusable bags, see if you have any around the house you can reuse.
Klean Kanteen 8 oz Insulated Tumbler
I carry this around in my backpack and I mostly use this for coffee to go but I’ve also gotten creative and used it for ice cream or soup as well!
Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Straws With Silicone Top
I’ve always been afraid of stainless steel straws because I don’t want to accidentally chip my teeth, so I was thrilled when I came across these Klean Kanteen straws! They are very easy to clean with the brush that comes with it and are also dishwasher safe. Pop off the silicone top and you now have a short straw! I keep one at my desk, one in my bag, and two at home. My mom sewed me a case similar to this one for my portable straw. If I’m out, I just stick it in the case to wash later.
Joseph Joseph Go Eat Compact Stainless Steel Cutlery Set
I picked these utensils because they are compact and I’m partial to using stainless steel utensils. The fork, knife, and spoon stick together magnetically and go into the silicone case. The silverware itself is substantial and great to use, but the case is a bit hard to wash. After I use these, I just wipe off excess food with a napkin and stick it back in the case to wash at home. I typically have no trouble flying with these utensils in my bag, but on occasion TSA will stop me to inspect my bag.
Miir 27 oz Water Bottle
This water bottle perfectly meets my needs! I prefer room-temperature water so I don’t need the added weight of a vacuum insulated bottle. This one is a great alternative to plastic; it is lightweight and just the right size for me. I take this bottle with me on trips and I haven’t had any trouble finding water fountains at airports. I also have a S’well bottle for when I need my drink to stay cold at the pool or in the car.
Yeti Rambler 20 oz Tumbler
This is my work desk mug. I drink tea religiously since it is freezing in my office year-round. The 20 ounce size works well for me because the Yeti does an excellent job of keeping liquids hot for a few hours.
Lifefactory 22 oz Glass Water Bottle
This glass water bottle is covered in silicone in case you drop it. This bottle is great to for trips to the water cooler at work but it is too heavy to carry around daily.
Wet-It Swedish Dishcloth
I recently made a rule for myself to only use the hand drier if it is available (instead of wasting paper towel). However, I hand-wash my Yeti and utensils at work, so I needed something to dry my hands and dishes. I saw a coworker using something she called “reusable paper towel” and I immediately got my own. This Wet-It dishcloth is super absorbent and comes in a variety of designs. I also bought the herbs print to use for drying herbs in my kitchen instead of using paper towel!
Do you have any questions about reusing or recycling, or do you need additional ideas? Please ask me any questions below.
