Using the word “green” to describe your level of commitment to a clean, healthy, and well-preserved planet is a relatively new concept. It’s only a decade or two old. But as research on climate change and pollution impacts around the globe has increased, so have conversations around how an individual or family can do their own individual part to slow down the devastation's of pollution.
The pollution impacts around our world are enormous and many of the major sources of it won’t be stopped until the international community takes pro-active and united steps to reform and monitor systems and structures for manufacturing. But that doesn’t mean we should wait until other people, big companies, or government systems make a change. We can all do something now.
Here are some things that your family can do simply by starting some new habits and making some simple changes in life:
STOP USING STRAWS
How many times have you gone through a drive through at a fast food restaurant this year? Imagine if each time you did that, you used your own, reusable straw rather than the single-use one given to you. That simple step can make a big difference.
Did you know that the average person in the U.S. uses 38,000 plastic drinking straws between the ages of 5 and 65 and that Americans use roughly 500 millions straws every day?!
REUSABLE GROCERY BAGS
You knew this one was going to be included. Again, we recognize that one family stopping the use of plastic bags at their local grocery store isn’t going to bring pandas back from the brink of extinction. But it will make your family more of a contributor to good than a contributor to bad.
Have you ever been to a grocery store where someone bags your groceries and uses just about one plastic bag per item? It will make you stop and catch your breath. So consider making a commitment to use reusable bags from now on and make a small dent in the massive problem.
BUY BETTER CLOTHES
Some people have just gotten the excuse they were looking for to go shopping. Did you know that cheap clothing is often made of synthetic materials? Did you know that “synthetic” in this context essentially means “plastic?” That means that every time you wash that shirt you bought that’s made of polyester, you’re flushing microscopic particles of plastic from your home and into nature. Cheap clothes are made of cheap fabrics. Cheap fabrics are made of plastic, and they shed millions of fibers when they’re washed.
The best solution for stopping microfiber pollution from laundry in its tracks is to buy and install the Filtrol. This easy-to-install, easy-to-maintain water filtration system stops plastics before they leave your home and enter our ecosystem. It’s an easy, no-hassle way to make a tangible impact.
The problem may seem massive, but there is still plenty that can be done in each of our homes to make a difference. What about you? What is a practical step you and your family can take to slow down the plastic consumption?