Plastic-Free Products: Why Are They Necessary?

Every day, we generate a huge amount of waste. In recent years, plastic has come to play a major role in this. Over the past 50 years, plastic production has increased 20-fold. If we don’t take action, there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans in 30 years. Fortunately, more and more companies are producing plastic-free products.

Why choose plastic-free products?

Plastic is made from fossil fuels and does not decompose. Plastic waste breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces until it is no longer visible to the naked eye. These micro- and nanoplastics then continue to circulate on Earth. This has a major polluting effect on the land, water, air, and nature. Furthermore, in recent years it has become clear that it also has a negative impact on our own health.
The Plastic Soup Foundation has compiled a list of facts about plastic:

• Nearly 40% is used for packaging materials;
• 40% of all plastic products are thrown away within a month;
• Every year, about 300 million metric tons of plastic end up in landfills;
• The average European throws away 174 kilograms of packaging waste each year. 19% of that is plastic;
• The fields where our crops grow are 4 to 23 times more heavily contaminated with microplastics than the oceans;
• Everyone is exposed to microplastics through the food chain and drinking water.

By your reduce plastic use And by choosing plastic-free products, you can make a big difference.
 

Plastic-free products for the bathroom

Plastic is often used to package food, but your bathroom is probably full of plastic, too. While about 90% of packaging in the kitchen is recycled, that figure drops to just 50% in the bathroom . Personal care and hygiene products are often harder to replace with plastic-free alternatives. Still, there are plenty of alternatives available. See if you can swap out the following products for more sustainable alternatives:

• Plastic toothbrush > bamboo toothbrush;
• Toothpaste tubes > glass jars containing toothpaste tablets;
• Disposable Razor Blades > steel razor blade;
• Plastic-wrapped sanitary pads > washable sanitary pads or an organic menstrual cup;
• Shampoo bottles > shampoo bars;
• Shower gel > bar of soap.

Plastic-free products for the kitchen

As we mentioned earlier in this blog, nearly 40% of all plastic is used for packaging materials. By buying plastic-free products, we can significantly reduce waste. The following tips will help you cut down on plastic even more.

• Buying fruits and vegetables loose instead of packaged in plastic;
• When you go grocery shopping, bring your own bag instead of asking for a plastic bag;
• Is there a product in a cardboard box? If so, choose that one instead.
• Buy items such as rice, nuts, and pasta at a plastic-free store and put them in your own glass jars;
• Please bring your own bread bag.

A Future Without Plastic

At myenergi, we strive for a friendlier, greener world. By taking small steps, such as buying plastic-free products, we can work together to bring about lasting change and protect future generations.