Take Action
Protect the health and lives of your family, and people and wildlife around the world.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
- Bring your own reusable bags when shopping.
- Remember that paper bags pose less environmental threat than plastic and are more likely to be recycled.
- Ask merchants to promote reusable bags (for example, make bags readily available at low cost, offer an incentive like a small discount for those who bring their own bags).
- Buy your drinks in glass bottles, aluminum cans, or cartons (protect your health and note that 75% of aluminum cans are recycled versus only 36% of plastic bottles).
- Buy a quality stainless steel beverage bottle and refill it yourself to protect both your health and the environment.
- Plastic party and holiday decorations and serving materials are huge contributors to plastic waste - avoid and reduce their use as much as possible.
- For food storage, use glass and stainless steel containers. Phase out plastic containers.
- Write your elected officials regarding the hazards of plastic bags, bottles and packaging materials.
- Write manufacturers and merchants about changing product packaging and shipping methods to reduce the use of plastic in every way possible - especially the use of Styrofoam fillers and "popcorn."
- Buy more fresh foods and fewer packaged foods.
- Participate in a community cleanup of beaches or waterways.
Always keep in mind that the most effective action of "reduce, reuse, recycle" is to reduce the use of plastics in every aspect of your life - both personal and business. Support awareness building and research programs to reduce plastic in the environment, and to find ways to clean up the great existing threat of plastic breaking down in the world's oceans.
