Each of us has the capacity to “reduce, reuse, and recycle” in our daily lives, but the task can seem overwhelming. A simple way to get started is to consider the number of “single use” plastics in your daily life. These are items—often packaging—that are designed for one time use and then go straight in the trash can, landfill, and eventually, our air and waterways.

Trying to do everything at once can be a recipe for failure when best intentions are too overwhelming to implement. Start with simple changes and train yourself to think differently about the packaging you purchase—because when you buy an item, you are paying for its packaging, too.

Here are a few tips from the most recent issue of GCA’s ConWatch that can help you to reduce the single use plastics in your daily life:

• Use fabric shopping bags and washable mesh bags for your vegetables at the supermarket and farmer’s market.
• Be creative in switching from plastic containers to other materials: use glass mason jars for buying foods in the bulk aisle of grocery stores and for storing them in your pantry and refrigerator.
• Try new alternates to plastic film wrap like Bee’s Wrap™ or similar products.
• Go back to corn husk brooms with wooden handles instead of plastic.
• Buy the largest container possible of cleansing gels and decant to smaller, reusable containers. Better yet, go back to bars of soap in paper wrapping!
• Buy eggs in cardboard cartons, not plastic.
• Bring your own reusable mug, water bottle, container, or flatware for take-out food and drinks instead of using disposables.