#ygkChallenge: Reduce (Even More) of Your Plastic Waste
The #ygkchallenge is an ongoing series where we dare you to be different, resolve to be better, and or do something awesome in support of our beloved community. Each week, Kingstonist establishes a new, ambitious or quirky goal, encouraging you to step out of your comfort zone and do something great, and hopefully a little out of the ordinary. By taking part in this community-wide initiative, we hope to make Kingston (and the world) a slightly better place to live, work and play.
This week’s #ygkchallenge encourages you to:
Reduce (Even More) of Your Plastic Waste. Did you know that the average Canadian throws away over 185 pounds of plastic per year, and that the annual worldwide total of discarded plastic is enough to circle the globe four times? That’s a lot of trash! While recycling rates in Canadian households are increasing, many of the items we put into our blue boxes cannot be recycled, and are therefore diverted to landfills. Surprisingly, as much as 20 percent of what we place into our blue bins is sorted out for disposal at the dump. Aside from staying current on the rules regarding what cannot out for collection, the best way to achieve plastic-free living is to reduce your reliance on plastic. Further to last week’s 10 tips to reducing the amount of plastic you’re using, here are even more ways to help you reach your plastic-free goals:
- Use bar soap instead of liquid.
- Stop chewing gum.
- Use paper tape instead of Scotch tape when packaging items.
- Avoid non-stick cookware.
- Use natural cloths instead of plastic scrubbers.
- Keep your laundry routine plastic-free.
- Choose toilet paper that’s not wrapped in plastic.
- Avoid buying new CDs and DVDs.
- Stop buying plastic water filtration cartridges.
- Avoid the worst plastic offenders (ie #3 Polyvinyl Chloride, #6 Polystyrene, and #7 Polycarbonate).
Join us in completing this week’s #ygkchallenge by liking it on Facebook and/or re-Tweeting it on Twitter. By liking and sharing, you’re not only committing to doing something great, but you’re also helping us spread the word and hopefully encouraging others to participate.
Photo credit to Mr.TinDC for today’s pic.