Skip the Single Use

The problem:

Single use plastics are plastics that are designed to be used 1 time and then thrown away — think plastic grocery bags, utensils, and coffee cups. Single use plastics are convenient, cheap, and everywhere. Each year, 25 million tons of plastic waste end up in our ocean. This harms marine life and pollutes our coastlines.

The Solution:

With a bit of planning, it’s simple to reduce how many single use plastics in your life:

• Consider bringing a reusable coffee cup and reusable food/to go containers to work or school.

• You can also bring reusable, bags to the grocery store!

• Skip the single use - when there are no better options nearby, try to skip using the item altogether.

• Head to a refill store! You can save money and reduce waste by filling up jars with household cleaning products, detergents, and more.

Buy Less

The problem:

Due to fast paced trend cycles in clothing and home decor, the average American consumes so much stuff, that if everyone lived the way we do, we would need 3-5 additional Earth’s to meet the demand for natural resources. Buying stuff we don’t need puts pressure on natural resources such as cotton, soil, trees, water, energy, and oil. Unfortunately, most of this stuff ends up landfilled or incinerated within 6 months of purchasing, due to the trend cycles.

The Solution:

• Only buy what you need

• Look into your favorite clothing brands to learn about how they make their products

• Give thrifting a try — in store or online at Poshmark, Depop, and Facebook Marketplace

• Purchase from sustainable companies — our favorites are Everlane, Pact, and Toad & Co.

• Create a community sharing program to swap resources with your neighbors!