SPECIAL REPORT: FIVE WAYS TO QUIT PLASTIC
THE BEST WAY TO START CULLING THIS ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM IS TO BEGIN SMALL
Plastic was heralded as the ultimate in convenience when it became widely used 70 years ago. But the tide has turned on our attitudes towards single-use plastic items because of the damage they cause to wildlife and the environment.
The Queen recognises how important the issue is – she has banned plastic bottles and straws across her estates.
We may not be able to go back to the days of brown paper parcels tied up with string or leaving coins in glass bottles at the gate for the milkman, but there are small steps we can take to play our part in reducing plastic waste. 1 Start at the supermarket Single-use plastic shopping bags only serve their purpose for a short time, yet they take hundreds of years to break down in landfill. This worldwide problem is being acknowledged with International Plastic Bag Free Day on Tuesday, July 3. Always remember to take your reusable shopping bags to buy groceries.
Countdown, the first major supermarket chain to commit to phasing out single-use checkout bags, has teamed up with Forest & Bird to support Plastic Free July to help protect the environment.
Keen to play your part? Make a pledge to cut down your plastic use at countdown. co.nz/plastic pledge.
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Getting rid of soft plastic
If you have a stash of plastic bags to deal with, which can’t go in your kerbside recycling, then pop them into the soft plastics recycling bins available at a number of supermarkets and shops – including Countdown. Frozen food bags, courier packs, chip packets and a variety of other soft plastics can be put in this bin. You can also put your reusable “Bag for Good” from Countdown in there, but don’t forget to get your free replacement bag first.
You’ve been so good with reducing soft plastic but wonder how you’ll line your rubbish bin? Bin liners made from corn starch are fully biodegradable and compostable, yet they’re strong enough to last until rubbish collection day.
Corn starch bags are more expensive than plastic bin liners, but if you reduce, reuse and recycle as much as possible, you’ll find you won’t need to buy as many.
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Recycle your bathroom products We’re getting better at recycling in the kitchen, but don’t forget the bathroom. If it’s plastic and bottle-shaped, it’s recyclable. This means
shampoo, bleach bottles, cleaners and foundation bottles can be recycled if they’re not being reused.
It’s getting easier to refill and reuse – if you’re in Auckland, the Ecostore flagship shop in Freemans Bay allows you to refill. Ecostore products are also available in supermarkets, so you don’t need to have purchased at the flagship store to make use of the refill service.
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There’s water in the tap Not so long ago, it would have been considered ridiculous that people pay money to buy water in plastic bottles. If you like to drink water on the go, treat yourself to a nice, reusable aluminium water bottle, then fill it before you leave home. If it needs topping up, most cafés will gladly help out, especially if you’re a regular. Also, say no to plastic straws. Like a hot beverage when you’re out and about? Remember your trusty Thermos or KeepCup and don’t use takeaway cups.
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Take away plastic from takeaways
We all love a takeaway treat now and again, but getting a plastic container each time you grab sushi isn’t good for the planet. Why not try taking your own container in with you? If you don’t bring a container, at the very least recycle any containers you use through the council collection service or reuse them – give them a wash and plant seedlings or use them to store craft supplies.
Avoid plastic sauce sachets and plastic cutlery where possible. If you take the cutlery, wash and reuse it – it’s perfect for the picnic basket.