There are a lot of good strategies for reducing exposure to traditional plastics in your life, including:
- Switching to glass, stainless steel, or ceramic instead of plastic containers
- Drinking filtered tap water instead of bottled water
- Avoiding personal care products that contain plastic microbeads
- Choosing clothing made from natural fiber instead of synthetic materials
- Buying products that use minimal packaging.
Traditional plastic is so pervasive that it’s likely unreasonable (if not impossible) to try to eliminate it from your life. But any steps you might take to reduce exposure to it – especially in high-impact areas like food, water, and clothing – are likely worthwhile.
Another emerging option for reducing exposure to traditional plastics is to use plant-based or bio-based plastic alternatives instead.
There are some real and helpful advancements in this area that can help you avoid the problems associated with traditional plastic. But fair warning: the terms “plant-based” and “bio-based” have already started to go the way of “organic”; they’re becoming marketing terms that can be meaningless unless you know what more to ask.