When it comes to being environmentally conscious, everyone these days is becoming more and more aware of their negative impact on the environment. One thing that comes to mind is plastic and its damaging effects. But avoiding this foe is a completely different ball game when it comes to being a students with limited resources. So what are the ways in which us students can attempt to reduce our plastic use easily without damaging our bank accounts?
- Reuse any reusable items. From shopping bags to plastic bottles, reusing any reusable items makes it easier to recycle plastic while reducing overall usage in the long term. Delegate how to use what and follow it diligently. With time, this will simply become second nature, so you will not even have to think about it. Practice makes perfect!
- Eat your own cooked food as much as possible. I completely understand that this is not accessible for some people, but if you can, eat your own cooked food as much as possible. Giving yourself a set time to do some meal prep will not only save you some money over the week, but also make it easier to avoid buying food wrapped in plastic from the stores. We do not realise just how much plastic we go through by buying meal deals! Even on the weekends, try seeing if you can make your own 'fakeaway', without having to order in.
- Invest in a reusable bottle and straw, and take it absolutely everywhere. Make sure your bottle is constantly filled with water or any other preferred liquid so as to avoid the need to buy bottled water. Reusable bottles can be found absolutely anywhere, so keep a look out for cheaper ones if you are on a budget, and make sure they are steel as these are more durable. The same goes for the reusable straws which can also be found in any store near you, but there are collapsible ones on eBay which are much more portable and won't cost you much money.
- Buy certain items in refills, or buy in bulk. There are certain items, such as cleaning items, which make it easy to buy refills instead of a completely new plastic container of the same thing. It also saves money and reduces plastic to buy certain items in bulk. By doing this, you are substantially reducing your plastic use while saving a bit of money as well. These refills or bulk buys can be found in certain bulk stores, or more easily, online. For instance, bio-d cleaning products has a lovely range, from washing up liquid to fabric softner, and can be bought in bulk to reduce plastic use and save money. They are also generally more Eco-friendly, vegan and cruelty free!
- Glass, glass, glass. Use more glass in place of plastic, as these are more easily recyclable and can be used for other purposes. For instance, buy glass containers of spices instead of plastic, as these can be used for various things in the future, and can also be refilled. If you are the clumsy type, or cant deal with glass for other reasons, then simply doing number one already reduces your plastic use.
Reducing plastic use as a student can be tough, and sometimes, not very practical. But as long as youre trying your best with whatever means you have available to you, you are doing great. adopting these habits, with time, can become effortless.
Feature Image: Pixabay @dmncwndrlch