Blog #365 New Year’s Resolutions: Reduce Plastic Use

Plastic pollution in lakes and rivers, courtesy of Getty Images. 

New Year’s Resolutions like giving up sweets or losing weight typically falter by the  end of January. But a New Year’s resolution to help the Earth can be kept and not  forgotten. Resolving to reduce your plastic footprint seems easy: just stop using plastic. Keep it out of your life, out of our lake! Divorcing yourself from plastic can be challenging, however, because plastic is so ingrained in our lives. Where do begin? Anywhere! Don’t get overwhelmed by all the possibilities of what you could do, and just pick one area of your life and start there, one small step at a time. Once mastered, move on. 

Volunteer picking up garbage along the Salt Point shoreline in Lansing to keep it from entering the lake.

The #1 reason that New Year’s Resolutions fail is that people set goals that are too  lofty. Break them down into smaller, more manageable steps. You don’t have to be  plastic-free by the end of January. You are making a difference simply by reducing plastic waste from the landfills, Cayuga Lake, and ultimately the oceans. Cut your  plastic usage gradually to make it a life-long change. And most importantly, give yourself permission to backslide occasionally. It means you’re trying, and that’s always  better than giving up because you feel beleaguered. 

Planning ahead is the key to not using single-use plastic during the day. Start simple by  bringing a reusable water bottle and a packable grocery bag with you whenever it’s  convenient. As you get used to bringing these two items, your idea of what is  ‘convenient’ will slowly change. Your mental checklist before leaving the house should  include a water bottle and grocery bag along with your keys and wallet (biodegradable poop bags for dog owners). 

There is no need to buy more stuff; chances are you already have what you need at  home to make these changes or can find them inexpensively at the Ithaca ReUse stores. When planning to eat fast food later in the day, plan ahead and bring your own  flatware instead of using plastic utensils, and leave a few sets in your car. If you  typically bring food home from restaurants, bring your own to-go container instead of  using the restaurants’ Styrofoam packaging. Once you habitually bring reusable items  with you and change your shopping habits, you’ll be less likely to reach for single-use  plastic options out of convenience. 

If you’re struggling to figure out what reusables you need, follow your normal habits for  a week and hold on to all of the plastic you consume. At the end of the week, itemize the plastic you use most. Those are the ‘plastic swaps’ you’ll want to make first. Create  a list of the swaps you need to make and assign yourself a timeline to make them. Make 

one swap at a time and let yourself get adjusted. Once it’s a habit, move on to the next.  If you tend to buy snacks during work, simply add an extra piece of fruit to your lunch  box or keep a reusable container of trail mix at your desk to avoid buying over packaged vending machine food. 

Reusable, packable bag and utensils sold by 4ocean and other zero waste vendors. 

However, there are a few new reusable products that are superior. My favorite reusable  containers/ storage bags are Stashers, first sold through 4ocean, a for-profit group that  removes plastic waste from the ocean. Now Stashers, available in 7 sizes, are sold  everywhere from L.L. Bean (Syracuse store), Zero Waste Store, and Amazon to Target.  Stashers are a tad expensive, but they are tough silicone, machine washable, and  reusable for holding everything from food and snacks to crayons and toiletries—and  they will last for decades. 4ocean also sells a line of reusable items such as packable, washable shopping bags that are small enough to keep in a purse or briefcase, and  reusable foldable travel straws and cleaners. Such washable bags have many uses  during your day: groceries, shoreline garbage, and toting items. Beeswax impregnated food coverings are another sustainable product work investigating to preserve foods. If  you find yourself in a situation where you simply can’t avoid plastic (and you will), try to  choose the option that can be reused. For instance, if you must accept a plastic grocery  bag, bring it back to the store later to recycle it or reuse it to line the wastebasket in your

 Stashers and handy packable tote bags are available at 4ocean and other venues. 

bathroom. Buying in bulk instead of pre-packaged food reduces the amount of  packaging. 

Beeswax food coverings are made by a number of companies. 

Two more tips for reducing plastic and waste in your life. You can reduce a great  amount of packaging and plastic waste by making your own wellness and cleaning  supplies. From hand soap to skin lotion to general cleaners, you can make almost  anything yourself using recipes abound online. If you can’t make your own, buy them in 

bulk and put them in smaller containers. Take the time to research sustainable, zero waste brands in stores such as Greenstar, Home Green, and online. 

Tip two has to do with fashion. When you buy new clothes, invest in high-quality  products made from organic materials that will last for years to come. Avoid synthetic  fabrics that introduce microplastic into the environment. Wear gently worn clothing, such  as from Eileen Fisher Renew at Sew Green in Ithaca, on eBay, or at thrift stores. Install  a washing machine filter to collect microfibers that shed during the wash cycle to  prevent them from entering our waterways. 

Most importantly, remember that New Year’s Resolutions are flexible! They should grow and change with you. After all, they’re personal goals. You just happen to be making them at a time when everyone else is making theirs. 

Eyes to the sky! 

Candace 

Candace E. Cornell 

Friends ofSaltPoint 

Lansing, NY 

Cayuga Lake Osprey Network 

NY cec222@gmail.com 

Online sources for reusable, plastic alternatives: 

zero-waste store 

4ocean 

In Ithaca: 

Ithaca ReUse 

Greenstar 

Home Green 

Sew Green 

and several others on the commons...