Easy Ways to Reduce Packaging Waste

Did you know, that only 9% of all plastic is recycled? A small percentage is converted into energy, but the vast majority unfortunately goes to landfill, where it never fully decomposes.

From a commercial standpoint, plastic is a material that is very attractive as packaging. It’s versatile, cheap to produce, cheap to purchase, and is readily available. This is why so many commercial businesses all over the globe choose it as their go-to packaging material of choice. However, these benefits come at an enormous price!

Plastic is a material has an enormous negative impact on the environment. Not only is plastic hazardous , it never fully biodegrades and is threatening wildlife and ecosystems all over the world. We’re very much in the midst of a plastic crisis, due largely to the fact that commercial plastic packaging is still so prevalent.

As worrying as this is, the good news is that plastic packaging is gradually being phased out and replaced with more sustainable solutions, including aluminum. But what can we do to play our part in the war against plastic pollution?

Here’s a look at several easy and effective ways to reduce packaging waste.

Buy Fruits and Vegetables Loose

Fruits and veggies are not only good for us, they’re also good for the environment as they’re compostable and full of natural goodness that helps to nourish the ground as it decomposes.

One way in which they aren’t good for the environment, however, is when they come in unnecessary plastic packaging. Instead of buying fruits and vegetables in plastic containers, buy them loose instead. Here you can either bring your own reusable packaging from home, or alternatively, most grocery stores will have paper bags available.

Loose fruit and veg is not only much better for the environment, it is also usually cheaper as well, and it will help cut back on waste because you can only buy what you need.

Buy in Bulk

A lot of people are put off from purchasing groceries in bulk, because they think it will cost them more. While the initial upfront price may be more, ultimately bulk buying will cost you far less than buying certain items on multiple occasions.

Bulk buying isn’t just more economic, it’s also more sustainable as well. If you eat a lot of pasta for example, rather than buying small plastic bags of pasta once or twice a week, go ahead and buy a large, bulk bag of pasta once or twice a year instead.

Buying in bulk not only means less plastic packaging waste, it also means fewer trips to the grocery store so you can also help to lower your carbon footprint.

Bring Your Own Reusable Grocery Bags

Whenever you go to the grocery store, rather than putting your groceries in individual plastic grocery bags, go ahead and bring your own reusable grocery bag from home instead.

Reusable bags, as the name implies, can be used over and over again, meaning fewer plastic bags find their way into the trash and eventually landfill. Not only that, but they’re usually larger and sturdier, so you can carry more items more securely. Talk about a win-win.

Ditch the Disposables

There’s a reason why plastic drinking straws have been banned in countries all over the globe, and that reason is that they’re such an enormous threat to the environment.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, research suggests that more people have been using plastic straws and disposable plastic cutlery. This in turn, has resulted in an increase in plastic pollution in our oceans and ecosystems. Experts are now calling for greater rules and regulations to be enforced on plastic drinking straw manufacturers to help prevent further health risks and reduce their environmental impacts.

Instead of using plastic drinking straws and/or disposable plastic cutlery, go ahead and invest in your own reusable options instead. Of course, instead of disposable plastic cutlery, you can opt for reusable aluminum metal cutlery instead. This is not only far sturdier and durable, it’s also much better for you and the environment, and easy to maintain.

As for drinking straws, both glass and metal are the obvious choices. They’re far more durable than paper straws, and again, they’re much better for you and the environment than plastic.

Embrace Aluminum Packaging

Finally, if you browse the shelves of your local grocery and cosmetics store, you’ll notice how there is far less plastic packaging than there used to be, and instead, these businesses are utilizing aluminum packaging in its place. There are very good reasons for this.

Aluminum packaging is not only cost-effective for consumers and retailers alike, it’s also lightweight, durable, food-safe, and environmentally friendly.

Aluminum packaging can be recycled indefinitely, as opposed to recyclable plastic, which can be recycled, on average, between 1 and 10 times. Not only that, but recycling aluminum packaging uses a fraction of the energy required to recycle plastics. As it’s lightweight, it also helps reduce transport costs and fuel consumption, which again can help to reduce carbon emissions and lower carbon footprints.