Durable, Reusable, Eco-Friendly Products

According to the EPA¹, in 2015, the United States generated 34.5 million tons of plastic waste. Unfortunately, Americans did not recycle most of this plastic waste. Only 9.1% of plastic was recycled in 2015 with 26 million tons entering the landfill.²

Let us take control of our plastic waste by using durable, reusable, eco-friendly products.

GLASS STRAW

Replace disposable plastic straws with reusable glass straws. Look for one that is durable, reusable, and eco-friendly. Select a glass straw that is BPA Free, Non-Porous and Hypo-Allergenic. Also, make sure that it is approved for both hot and cold beverages. An example is the straight classic glass straw by Simply Straws.

STAINLESS STEEL STRAW

If you are concerned about breaking a glass straw then the stainless steel straw is a good alternative to the disposable plastic straws. Look for one that is food grade and constructed with 18/8 stainless steel. An example is the 5-piece stainless steel straw set by Klean Kanteen, which come with a removable silicone flex straw tip and natural palm fiber straw 

brush

REUSABLE UTENSIL

Instead of using disposable plastic utensils consider purchasing a set of utensils that are durable, reusable, eco-friendly. Make sure the utensils you purchase are heat and stain resistant not to mention strong and long lasting. Simply Straws has a reusable utensil kit that includes: bamboo fork, bamboo knife, bamboo spoon, bamboo chopsticks, simply straws classic 8" straight transparent straw, simply straws classic brush, utensil holder with carabineer. 

REUSABLE PRODUCE / MARKET BAGS

Disposable plastic produce and grocery bags litter water ways and pileup in landfills. Attempts to reuse and recycle plastic shopping bags deserve merit; however, the best way to deal with plastic pollution is to stop using plastics were we can. Replacing the disposable plastic bag with a reusable, durable, eco-friendly bag is the best practice. Try to purchase a reusable shopping bag that is made of natural and/or recycled materials, machine washable, and one that is certified Fair Trade. For instance, the medium ECOBAGS bags are perfect for bulk items like seeds & beans or all types of produce while their large bag is perfect for all types of produce.

REUSABLE SHOPPING BAG

My favorite reusable, durable, and eco-friendly bag is the Chico Bag “Vita” bag, which has a 40-pound carrying capacity! This is a full size shoulder-style shopping bag that conveniently stuffs into built-in pouch for convenient storage. Plus this bag comes with a one year warranty. 

REUSABLE SANDWICH BAG

Sandwich bags are such a waste of resource and produce an excessive amount of unnecessary waste. There are alternatives to the disposable plastic sandwich bags, such as the Lunchskins, which according to the company will replaces 500 plastic bags in its lifetime. When purchasing a reusable sandwich bag look for one that is dishwasher-safe, complies with FDA standards for food safety, BPA, phthalates, and lead free, and is made of quick-drying, durable, lightweight fabric.

REUSABLE BOTTLE

2.5 million Plastic bottles per hour! 60 million plastic bottles in a day! That is how many plastic bottles Americans use on average according to Oklahoma’s Department of Environmental Quality.³ What can you do to reduce this number? Use durable, reusable, and eco-friendly bottles. Look for a reusable bottle that is made of high-grade 18/8 stainless steel and BPA-free. An example is the S’well Bottle, which is triple-walled for maximum insulation leaving no condensation on the exterior.

COFFEE FILTERS

Although coffee filters are not, typically, made out of plastic, there production and disposable still produce waste and are themselves an unnecessary use of natural resources. Changing our habits of using disposable items to using reusable item can be fulfilled by replacing the disposable coffee filter with a durable, reusable, eco-friendly filter. When looking for a reusable coffee filter, look for one that is made of stainless steel, is environmentally friendly and dishwasher safe such as the Café Brew 12-cup universal basket coffee filter that is designed to fit all coffee makers using standard basket filters and has a lifetime warranty. Café Brew also makes a #4 cone permanent coffee filter.

Resource:

1. Environmental Protection Agency. 2018. Plastics: Material-Specific Data. Facts and Figures about Materials, Waste and Recycling. https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/plastics-material-specific-data

2. EPA. 2018.

3. Department of Environmental Quality. n.d. Recycling Fact Sheet. State of Oklahoma. http://www.deq.ok.gov/lpdnew/CommunityCollections/recyclingfact.pdf