Reducing Single Use Plastic When Grocery Shopping in 9 Easy Steps!

Our reliance on single use plastic is causing significant problems in our environment, especially when it comes to marine life. The good news is that there are a number of simple actions you can take in your own life in order to make a contribution towards mitigating this issue.

Single use plastics are exactly as they sound — plastic items which can only be used once before being thrown away or recycled. These include items such as plastic bags, plastic straws, plastic water or soda bottles and plastic food packaging.

Many plastic products are petroleum-based, meaning they come from non-renewable resources. Petroleum-based plastics are not biodegradable, which means they do not breakdown into natural substances. However, that does not mean they do not degrade in their own way. During this degradation process, petroleum-based plastics release harmful chemicals into the soil and air which then makes it way into our food and water supply. It has been shown that these toxins are related to issues with the human endocrine system.

One of the biggest culprits of single use plastic are grocery stores. During your next grocery shop, try some of these tips below in order to make your contribution towards limiting single use plastics.