Did you know? More than 300 million tons of plastic waste is produced yearly, 50% of which is single use. Not to mention the 8 million tons of plastic waste dumped into our oceans,  and that’s just from plastic. Styrofoam, cardboard, and more packaging materials are all really harmful to our environment. Here’s what YOU can do to reduce waste and soil contamination.

-Glass/Metal straws +  water bottles. Reusable and washer safe. Save money and the planet! You can get plenty of options on Etsy. Some companies even make folding straws! 

-Reusable grocery bags. You can find these at your local grocery store and most times they’re roomier and can fit more items, therefore reducing your carbon footprint and your trips to and from the car.

-Throwing away your trash after lunch. Believe it or not, thousands of tons of microplastics contaminate our soil every year. So every ketchup packet, juice box, and spork you leave on the ground contributes to that contamination. So next time you think you’re ready to get back to class after lunch, take a look around you. Did you throw away all your trash? Did your friends? 

-Air Peanuts. Next time you want to ship something out whether it’s for your online business, or a gift to a far away friend, instead of using styrofoam/bubble wrap, protect valuables with biodegradable air peanuts. 

-Bringing your own silverware to school. I know it might seem extra, but just think; if every single kid in the school brought their own forks and spoons, 1,000 plastic sporks wouldn’t need to be produced every single day, every single year. That adds up quickly. And when you think about it, it’s a big change for such a small addition to your morning routine. There are even cute travel and collapsible options!