To say plastic pollution is a widespread problem is not doing it justice:
- Only about 9% of all plastic ever made has likely been recycled with 12% of all plastic waste having been incinerated. The remaining 79% has accumulated in either landfill or the natural environment if not still in use.
- One million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals die each year from plastic pollution in our oceans.
- In one study by the U.S. Centres for Disease Control, nearly 93 percent of people tested positive for BPA(a potentially harmful chemical present in plastic products).
Think the problem is too big for you to make an impact?
Think again.
We put together this list of eco-friendly products to show you just how easy it can be to replace some of the plastic products you buy and support those making products out of recycled plastic. By replacing them, you can virtually eliminate your single use plastic waste in that area. By purchasing recycled plastic products you are helping to close the loop of the circular economy.
One of the best ways to fight plastic pollution is to live by example and ensure the products you buy are produced with both ethics and the environment in mind.
Also, don’t forget to share the journey with your friends and family. The more friends you convince, the more people you share articles like this one with, the more people will begin using environmentally friendly products in their everyday lives, and that is how we change the world.
Scroll down to see where you can make some simple changes with eco-friendly products that can have big impacts on your environmental footprint.
1. Eco Friendly Phone Cases
There are now more mobile devices than there are people on earth. That’s a staggering amount of plastic phone accessories (and packaging) being consumed and disposed of at an alarming rate. From manufacturing to packaging, Pela hopes to displace waste and pollution in the tech accessory market with their 100% compostable sustainable bioplastic iPhone and Android phone cases. .
2. Recycled Plastic Belts
Functional and socially impactful.
Jelt belts are made from recycled plastic bottles. Even better, Jelt was established as a cause-driven business, with the purpose of creating a product that everyone would need, while promoting and encouraging objectives that serve the common good.
3. Upcycled Eco Friendly Handbags
Mother Earth weaves eco conscious fashion and women’s empowerment together by repurposing factory-reject plastic headed for the landfill into eco-friendly products.
These handmade bags and accessories are woven from discarded plastic laminated foil that was rejected due to printing defects. Instead of ending up in landfills or reaching waterways, Mother Earth intercepts it and prepares it for new life in the form of unique and colorful handbags, clutches and more.
4. Recycled Plastic Mat For Yoga or The Beach
The reversible (two designs for the price of one!) Go Fish Recycled Plastic Mat from LovEarth is made using recycled polypropylene plastic.
Christine Slabb is the artist behind Go Fish. She’s an accomplished Indigenous artist and graphic designer from the Bundjalung people, on Australia’s east coast. She defines her design as “Together we fish, together we sit, together we eat”, reminding us of the harmony we can achieve by gathering to share food.
5. Reusable Lunch Wraps
Packed lunches may seem innocent enough, but when you multiply them by each person who packs a lunch each day, the amount of single-use plastic waste adds up quickly.
The Onya Reusable Lunch Wrap (made from recycled PET bottles) can completely eliminate the plastic pollution produced from daily lunches or anytime you use single-use sandwich wraps.
6. Eco Laptop
This environmentally friendly laptop from Iameco was manufactured while decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by 30%, re-using 70% of the material, and reducing fresh water utilisation by 75%.
7. Biodegradable Garden Pots
Help keep your garden safe from plastic and rubber pollution with these Western biodegradable garden pots. They’re made from recycled material and decompose in about a year.
8. Natural and Recycled Rubber Thongs
Etiko‘s Vegan Flip Flops are designed to do good with 10% of proceeds going directly to Animals Australia.
Made Fair Trade from a blend of certified natural and recycled rubber, Etiko Flip Flops are part of the Etiko Take Back Program where all footwear returned to them will be recycled via Melbourne-based Save our soles.
9. Reusable Shopping Bags
Plastic shopping bags from the grocery store (or any retail store) produce even more waste than single use plastic produce bags.
The Onya Reusable Shopping Bag scrunches down into an attached pouch so you always have it On Ya to carry your groceries and other items, eliminating your plastic waste from shopping bags every time you shop.
10. Think Sound Headphones
The wood for these headphones is sourced only from sustainable forests. The cables used for these headphones are also PVC free, which has a better impact on the environment. They feature rear wood housing as well, which provides a more natural sounding bass and mid-tones when you are listening to music. After all, wood does possess much better acoustic properties than plastic. The overall quality of sound is superb, with everything working in perfect balance with each other to produce a truly sublime experience. They also fit your head comfortably, offering you a snug fit that won’t result in them slipping off your head anytime soon. A pair of headphones like these that are made from sustainable materials, are certainly ones you should be adding to your wish-list.
Author Bio – Vivek Roy is an enthusiastic Tech and gadget blogger from India. He loves to share tips and news from all around the world. For more information about him visit his website Leaf Studios.
