Americans use about 57 billion pounds of plastic every year, but we only recycle 3% of it.  We can all do more to reduce, reuse, and recycle—especially when it comes to plastics, which can take 500 years to decompose!

For starters, it’s pretty easy to throw some reusable cloth bags in your car and grab them on your way into a store (and remember they’re not just for groceries—cloth bags work great at book stores, hardware stores, big box stores, and even the shopping mall!).

If you already have a stash of plastic bags, try to use them multiple times—then drop them off for recycling.  Most grocery stores have collection bins, and you may also find them at office supply stores, discount stores, electronics stores, etc.

When it comes to food storage, those little zipper bags and snap-lid containers are so very convenient, but such a terrible waste!  Glass is a much better choice, since it’s dishwasher- & microwave-safe, it can be used for many years (and then recycled!), there’s no toxic chemical risk, and it’s readily available from products you already buy (containers from pickles, mayo, sauces, etc.).

You may be aware that plastic water bottles, specifically, are now a major problem in both our oceans and our landfills.  That’s because they produce about 1.5 million tons of plastic waste every year, and more than 80% of them are simply tossed away.  Consider using a water bottle made of steel, which is practically indestructible, 100% recyclable, and easy to clean and reuse.

Perhaps you’ve noticed that some products are ridiculously over-wrapped—like individual rolls of toilet paper that are each sealed in plastic and then surrounded by a larger plastic wrapper!  Whenever you have a choice, look for products that use minimal packaging, or at least packaging that can easily be recycled (like cardboard, paper, & glass).

If you live in the City of San Diego, your curbside recycling program recently began accepting more plastic products than ever before—wonderful news indeed!  Check out the latest update (and other products you can recycle) at:  www.RecyclingWorks.com