As teenagers, we buy and use lots of products that use plastic. When summertime comes it can become difficult to be conscious of your plastic usage. Thankfully there are some tips and tricks you can keep in mind to have a plastic-free summer and to still have fun!

Online shopping

During summer online shopping is in full swing. With summer tops and bathing suits shopping at online stores, the plastic builds up. However, we can limit this plastic by limiting the amount of packages we get. Instead of making multiple orders make one or two orders for a long period of time. This limits the packages and the plastic materials the clothes come in. You can also contact your favorite online retailer and encourage them to use alternative packaging that does not consist of plastic.

Shopping

When going to stores (preferably thrift stores!), try to be conscious of the plastic. Bring your own bags or reuse your bags to limit your plastic bag waste. Most receipts are coated in plastic so request for your receipts to be emailed to you instead of printing them out. One other thing you can do is be conscious of the plastic that is in your clothing. Materials such as polyester, nylon, acrylic, and polyamide have high concentrations of plastic. When you wash these clothes they shed millions of plastic microfibers that get into the water and oceans. Becoming aware of the plastic in your clothing and making an effort to limit this can be highly beneficial to the environment.

Food

Summer means hanging out with your friends and driving around. It also means fast food and restaurants multiple times a week. When ordering your food make sure you are aware of the plastic you are using. Refuse straws and plastic cutlery as you can always bring your own or bring your food home and eat it there. Be aware of unnecessary items and proactively opt-out of receiving anytime you do not need. If you get extra sauces, store and use them for the next time. That way the next time you go to that fast food you can refuse the sauces and use the ones you saved up.

Travel

Summertime is for traveling but there are ways we can limit our plastic and travel. If you need to bring shampoo and body wash with you, buy reusable travel containers instead of travel-sized soaps. This way you can put your normal soaps in these containers and reuse them for all your trips. You can also put the excess soaps back into their regular containers after your trips. Bring snacks for your trips instead of stopping at fast-food restaurants. This can save you time, money, and will limit your plastic waste. Bring fruits or pack snacks in baggies that you can reuse.

Other Tips

There are products and stores out there that do not have plastic packaging you can use. Some helpful products are bamboo toothbrushes, deodorant stored in plastic-free containers, cloth napkins, silicone snack baggies, and more. There are also some helpful stores such as the package-free shop, the zero-waste store, and many more. You can find more sustainable stores here or you can use the Green Directory to find some eco-friendly businesses. One specific company listed is called Ekologicall and is located in Charlotte, NC. Research more of these products and be conscious of the plastic you use every day.

Conclusion

There are many ways for you to reduce or eliminate your plastic usage. It can be overwhelming to immediately eliminate all your plastic but you can always take small steps. Through small steps, you can slowly change your lifestyle as well as others around you. Whether it is by refusing plastic straws or tagging the TZW Plastic Swap Challenge, small steps can make a big impact. We challenge you to lead a Plastic-Free July or at least limit your plastic usage in order to make a positive impact on the environment. Encourage your friends and family to join you in this challenge of a Plastic-Free July.