Our plastic water bottles are in the ocean. That’s enough to say out planet stands before massive challenges. That’s as we overspend its limited natural resources. We also contribute to the growing global warming issue. Not only that, but humans are also suffering. Combining toxic exposure caused by pollution. Then add climate change, ultraviolet radiation and chemical exposures. Our choice of consumption and lifestyles. For they really do have consequences on a global scale.
Our planet and its resources are limited. At this rate by 2100 the rainforests may be completely eradicated. Then you have freshwater by 2040. Added fish by 2048 and finally food by 2050.
The ice caps are melting all the while sea levels are rising. I mean at record speed. Look I did an interview at Sundance film festival in 2009. The ice caps will melt and they water has got to go somewhere. So we need action right now. Because the Earth will reach a tipping point soon. Then there will be no reversing it.
But these problems can still be solved and you can make an impact. This article is a guide to eco-friendly alternatives that you can use in your everyday life. By switching to eco-friendly choices and supporting responsible businesses, you can make a significant impact by reducing your environmental footprint.
Zero-Waste Cosmetics
The beauty industry is harming the Earth. That’s to start with plastic packaging. Then let’s add deforestation. Not to forget they environmentally harmful chemicals in the air. There are, however, eco-friendly cosmetic products. I interviewed Josie Moran back in the day. She has mindful packaging materials. As well as natural elements to replace wastefulness. In addition to and more importantly; synthetic elements.
Cosmetics products with organic and natural labels are it. For it means that they contain at least 95% organic ingredients. That’s in their formula.
There is more info here about eco-friendly cosmetics. However and generally, they use vegetable oils, active ingredients, essential oils. In addition to natural perfumes instead of silicones. Then synthetic polymers, mineral oils, artificial perfumes and preservatives. Therefore, it’s way better to be using eco-friendly cosmetics.
For it’s those with natural elements, you can protect your body. Protect it from daily exposure to toxic chemicals. Moreover, synthetic cosmetic products can contaminate the air and water. Especially after toxic substances leave your body.
Zero-waste cosmetics generally have mindful packaging to prevent wasteful disposals and protect the environment. With environmentally friendly cosmetics, packages are biodegradable like eco-friendly refill bags or reused like aluminum containers.
Reusable Bags
Every year, it is estimated that we use 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags. It takes twelve million barrels of oil to produce plastic bags for annual usage in the United States alone. Instead of producing 14 plastic bags, we can drive a car for nearly 2 kilometers with the same amount of gasoline. Plastic products have many detrimental effects on the planet. For example, plastic bags need as long as 1,000 years to completely break down. Concerns are growing over the harmful effects of plastic on the environment and one of the most feasible solutions is to reduce our plastic usage and switch to other eco-friendly alternatives.
Reusable bags are simple alternatives to cut down our plastic bag usage without inconvenience or dramatic changes in our lifestyles. In contrast to plastic bags, reusable bags are durable and can carry more weight. For instance, a good quality tote bag can be used as a reusable grocery bag, lunch bag, or shopping bag.
Nowadays, stores are offering incentives for shoppers to bring their reusable bags. In some countries and cities, plastic bags and plastic products such as plastic straws or single-use plastic cutlery are banned. One of the best ways you can protect the environment and combat plastic pollution is to live by example. Reduce your plastic bags and single-use cutlery use, bring your own reusable bags.
Refillable Water Bottles
It is estimated that we use nearly one million plastic water bottles per minute. Even with the existence of recycling programs, 91% of our yearly consumed water bottles end up in landfill sites. Worse than landfill sites, plastic water bottles are ending up in our oceans and harming aquatic life.
By using refillable water bottles, you will help reduce ocean pollution, use fewer resources to make the bottles, and release fewer harmful chemicals to the environment in the production process. To put it in perspective, the amount of oil it takes to produce 50 million plastic water bottles in the United States every year is 17 million barrels. Instead of producing plastic bottles, that same amount of fuel can power 190,000 houses and fuel about 1.3 million cars for a whole year. Not only that, making plastic water bottles emits 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide into the environment every year, which negatively contributes to global warming.
Choosing a refillable water bottle over a plastic one is a far better alternative. Refillable bottles have a longer lifespan than plastic bottles so there will be less oil consumed, less carbon dioxide released, and fewer plastic bottles to pack landfill sites and oceans. Make your choice of consumption consciously.
In conclusion, make simple changes. All so you can make positive impacts on the world. That’s by switching to these eco-friendly alternatives. Combine them in your daily life. Live by example. Moreover share your mindful consumption habits with your family and friends. Because and finally together, we can reduce our environmental footprint. Then finally we can save our planet.
