5 Plastic Product Substitutions to Reduce Environmental Impact
My name is Sophie Beck — I am a teenager from Bethesda, Maryland who founded Teens Against Plastic with the hope of inspiring other young people to minimize plastic waste.
Almost 60 million plastic bottles and containers are placed in landfills each day, averaging to about 1 pound of plastic waste per person per day in the United States. Combine that with the waste of your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers, and it’s not so hard to believe that we’re contributing to the destruction of our planet. The toxic chemicals and poor biodegradability released from plastics results in human health hazards, air and water pollution, blockage of fresh water sources, and landscape disfigurement.
Below are five easy products that teenagers can encourage their families to swap in their homes to reduce their environmental impact. Swapping out one-time plastic products for reusable materials can seem expensive if you replace all of the products at one time. Try picking one product a month or every other month! To help you budget, use the price key in this article — $ ($1–10), $$ ($11–20), $$ (>$21).
Swap #1: Dryer Sheets
Product: Friendsheep Wool Dryer Balls ® ™
Information: Heat activated dryer sheets contain carcinogenic chemicals that are harmful to human health and the environment. Many companies, like Friendsheep have created eco-friendly dryer balls that save energy, money (long-term), and time while also diminishing your family’s exposure to chemicals.
Pros: Each “sheep” lasts > 1000 washes, 6-eco dryer balls in each packet, selection of styles (penguins vs sloths, etc), can be used for all types of laundry (white/dark/colors), reduces drying time by 40%
Price: $$
Available: Amazon
Swap #2: One-Use Utensils
Product: Tupperware’s On The Go Cutlery Set ®
Information: Over 30 million children worldwide pack lunches for school. The majority of these students use non-recyclable, non-biodegradable plastic utensils that end up living in landfills for more than 10 years. The chemicals in plastic utensils and containers have also been proven to leach into food, impacting the quality and safety of what you are consuming. Brands like Tupperware have created an on-the-go multi-use cutlery set without any plastic!
Pros: Plastic free, dishwasher safe, free lifetime warranty. Includes a fork, knife, spoon, and carrier case.
Price: $
Available: Tupperware
Swap #3: Single-Use Coffee Cups
Product: Keep Up Multi-Use Coffee Cup Ⓑ
Information: More than half of adults in the United States drink an average of 3-cups of coffee per day. If you’re enjoying a beverage outside your home, this may mean using 3 disposable plastic containers per day as well. Plastic drinking cups contain chemicals that negatively affect the human body. With Keep Ups multi-use coffee cups, you can drink your coffee in style, while simultaneously decreasing plastic waste on a regular basis.
Pros: Variety of colors, materials, and sizes. Price includes a one year warranty. Fits easily in vehicle cup holders, spill proof.
Price: $$$
Available: Amazon
Swap #4: Plastic Straws
Product: Final.’s Biggie Straw ©
Information: Polypropylene, a commonly used chemical in the production of plastic straws, releases toxic chemical compounds that are hazardous to human health. Plastic straws are non-recyclable and non-decomposable. When blown into waterways, they pollute marine wildlife and contribute to long-term oceanic contamination. The Biggie Straw, and many other straws sold by Final., is a fun, compostable, long-term use straw that will positively affect your health and contribute to minimizing plastic waste.
Pros: Selection of colors. Cleaning squeegee and case included, compressible, lightweight
Price: $$
Available: Amazon
Swap #5: Plastic Shopping Bags
Product: Chicobag
Information: The average family goes to the grocery store more than 1 time a week. Besides their groceries, they bring home around 1,500 plastic shopping bags per year. The bags are easily breakable, requiring double or triple bagging to carry canned goods and other heavy items. Currently, only 1.0% of grocery bags are properly recycled and/or reused — the rest take over 500 years to decompose in landfills. While some states have started plastic taxes to incentivize customers to bring their own reusable shopping bags, there is more work to be done. Chicobag, a reliable compact reusable grocery bag, can help you avoid plastic tax while positively impacting the environment.
Pros: Multiple styles and uses. Durable and can hold more groceries than a traditional plastic bag. Foldable, machine washable, all around eco-friendly manufacturing, design and fabric. Price includes a one year limited manufacturer warranty.
Price: $ per bag
Available: Amazon