One of the ways to do that would be to change our lifestyles to plastic-free. Just think about it, plastic products have immersed so deeply in our everyday lives that it is getting hard to exclude them. But as the old proverb goes: If there is a will, there’s a way. Read below about why you should and how you can stick with the resolution of using plastic-free products. Just to clarify things – even if you can’t go completely plastic-free, you can still try to use less plastic and that’s already a huge step forward.

Why should you opt for plastic free products?

For the sake of the environment

Thanks to the toxic pollutants that can be found in it, plastics play a huge role in the land, water, and air pollution. It can be found absolutely everywhere around us, and even up to the Mount Everest. Thanks to our habit to directly throw our garbage into the nearest river, the level of the plastic debris in the world’s oceans is increasing as well. According to the latest research, in the guts of more than 90% of the world’s sea birds and in the stomach of more than half of the world’s sea turtles, is found plastic trash. The life of whales is also under threat.

For your own sake

BPA, which stands for “bisphenol A” is an industrial chemical which is a common substance in epoxy resins and some types of plastic. These chemicals are known as an endocrine disrupting compound which can easily disrupt normal hormone functions in the body. Some research has proven that BPA can leak into beverages or food if the containers are made from BPA. The possible negative health effects of these chemicals to the brain, infants, and children are a reason for serious concern. In addition, BPA can lead also to increased blood pressure. These days, BPA-containing plastics can be found in reusable water bottles, grocery receipts, sippy cups, plastic plates, etc.

For the sake of your own wallet

Let’s be honest, it’s true that most plastic items last forever. But on the other hand, chances are, you will also throw away the plastic water bottles that you’ve bought today in the supermarket. So, instead of buying a plastic bottle every day, why don’t you opt for a reusable stainless steel or glass water bottle that you can use for years and refill it anytime you need to? Plus, you will definitely save money in the long run!

Tips to go Plastic Free

In order to reduce the amount of plastic household waste, we suggest you switch to bar soaps and non-bottled beauty products. In most cases, these plastic free products contain natural and even vegan ingredients, making your hair soft and shiny and leaving your skin fresh. Cutting down the chemical products regarding cosmetics will truly benefit not only the environment but also your skin. Advantage: these types of natural products without harmful chemicals won’t pollute the wastewater either.

Another small but significant advice would be to change your plastic toothbrush with a bamboo one. Since their first appearance in the 1930s, the number of produced, used and thrown away toothbrushes is getting bigger and bigger. Now, can you imagine that almost every single toothbrush made since then, is still out there, lying on a beach or maybe at the bottom of an ocean because of its indestructible features? Bamboo toothbrushes, on the other hand, are an eco-friendly and a much more sustainable option.

It’s both causing discomfort and relief at the same time, we might get overemotional and cry and binge on chocolate and chick-flicks, but hey, we deserve it for all the inconvenience we go through. Bitchy behaviour for no reason? Blame it on hormones!

As good and bad as it might be, it also has a side we rarely think about, and it affects the environment as much as it affects our health: the tampons and hygienic pads we use. Due to how organic menstrual cups are, we should be having more talks about them as opposed to the other two.

Unlike tampons and pads, the medical-grade silicone cups are designed to collect the menstrual flow and not absorb it, and the fact latest designs of reusable cups are as durable as can be, serving for years to come, they add to less waste (hundreds of pounds of disposable waste over decades) and less costs. Sounds great, right?

Yes, sustainability is a reason to go for organic menstrual cups, and some are even more eco-friendly than others, with their recycled packaging and cotton pouch storage. Then again, cups don’t contain chemicals and pesticides so you don’t have to worry about monthly chemical exposure or the scare of TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome).

Other than TSS, there’s another drawback of tampons resulting from their absorption; along with menstrual blood, they absorb natural vagina fluids which can lead to dryness, or worse, disturbance of the pH balance and bacterial infections.

Since the cups are reusable, it means you get much less time cleaning during the period days, having in mind you can wear it up to 12 hours a day uninterrupted, without a leak or feeling of discomfort, that is as long as your period isn’t heavy.

They are easy to use, all you have to do is fold them and insert them like tampons, but always make sure your hands are well washed prior to inserting. Cleaning isn’t much of a fuss either, just remove them, empty them in the toilet, rinse well with water and reinsert them.

What’s advisable after every period is to boil the cups, from 2 to 10 minutes, and air-dry them, to sterilise them.

The obvious answer is to switch to more sustainable, eco-friendly disposables such as cardboard trays, paper coffee cups or wooden cutlery. This simple course of action can have significant benefits for the environment as well as your business. Like for instance.

Help the Environment

Obviously, opting for green food packaging can significantly help the environment. But, how exactly? For one, eco-friendly food packaging is made from 100% biodegradable materials. This means it contains no toxins that can “leak” into the environment during decomposition. What’s more, eco-friendly packaging decomposes completely and in a timely manner. And since it’s made of organic materials, it’s also compostable which means that during its decomposition it transforms into organic nutrients that enhance soil and support plant life.

Expansion of Your Customer Base

Obviously, concern for the environment has increased now that we’ve started to face the serious consequences of global warming. In recent years, more and more people are growing environmentally conscious and taking an interest in the ways they can reduce their carbon footprint. Millennials are especially concerned with this and tend to form particularly strong connections with brands that have sustainable practices. And you as a food production business can use this to your advantage and expand your customer base. Simply by using eco-friendly, recyclable cardboard trays or boxes you can start attracting more people who value this commitment to sustainability. And because businesses who do so are rare, these new customers will be more likely to stay loyal to your services.

Preserve the Health and Quality of Your Products

Many plastic food containers are aesthetically pleasing, but to achieve that effect they are usually enhanced with artificial paint, BPA, phtalates and chlorine. All these chemicals can leak into the food given the right conditions, such as humidity or high temperatures. But biodegradable packaging on the other hand, comes free of chemicals which reduces the amount of toxins the food is exposed to. What’s more, eco-friendly containers made of cardboard are usually safe to microwave, as opposed to styrofoam or plastic containers.