Reduce plastic waste

With environmental awareness ever increasing, most of us are familiar with the three Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle. But you may want to consider a fourth R, especially when it comes to excess plastic packaging and plastic waste: reject.

In 2002, Statistics Canada estimated that Canadians produce more than 30 million tonnes of waste per year and, according to the Recycling Council of Ontario, approximately 30 per cent of that garbage is made of plastic -- things like packaging, food containers, bottles and the ubiquitous plastic grocery bags. 

That waste ends up in landfills, incinerated or in the ocean, where it pollutes and where harmful toxins contained in the plastics can leach into soil or water. Those toxins, in turn, can wind up in our food, water or air (if incinerated) and can, in some cases, lead to health problems like asthma, infertility, cancer and even miscarriage. The production of plastics is also a drain on natural resources and the chemicals involved contribute to global warming. With concerns of global warming and healthy living, what can you do to reduce plastic waste?

A lot, it turns out, and here are five steps to get you started:

1. Speak softly, if you like, but carry a big pen
Never underestimate the power of a well-written letter. If you're concerned about excess plastic packaging, write a letter to companies that are guilty of overpackaging and let them know that their practices keep you from buying their products. Contact your provincial ministry (or department) of the environment to push for better legislation, or support environmentally friendly initiatives already in place, like the proposed levy on plastic grocery bags in Ontario. If corporations and politicians crave public support, let them know where you stand so you can encourage change.

2. Give as good (or bad) as you get
Stuck with a pile of plastic wrap from an overpackaged product? Since most corporations include their address somewhere on their packaging, take all that excess plastic and send it back to the company that produced it -- specifically, to its chief executive officer. This can be especially effective if it's a large volume of plastic waste collected together by a group of like-minded consumers.

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3. Don't shoot the messenger, but send a message
Closer to home, let retailers know you're not happy with overpackaged products by leaving the plastic waste from packaging or plastic bags where it'll make the biggest impact: right there in the store. Speak to a store manager about their overpackaged goods (like shrink-wrapped produce), or just unwrap your purchases and ditch the waste at the checkout to illustrate your point.

4. Play for keeps
Instead of using plastic bags, buy cloth bags or reuse the plastic bags you already have. If your local grocery store doesn't offer reusable bags (most sell them for about $1), contact the manager or the store's head office to suggest they do so. When you eat at fast-food restaurants or get takeout, use your own cutlery instead of plastic utensils. Similarly, just say no to the prewrapped napkin/salt/pepper packets and use your own. Once again, you may want to preach what you practise and notify the establishment's management of your decisions and explain your concerns.

5. Go big or go home
When you can, buy in bulk. For example, instead of buying a six-pack of single-serve puddings, buy a single pudding mix and divide it yourself once it's made. Instead of buying a new bottle of shampoo, refill the old one from a larger container. Rather than purchasing boxes of packaged pasta, check out your local bulk-food store and stock up. The production of plastic packaging is just as harmful as the waste that packaging creates, so reject it from the start to help nip the problem in the bud.

No matter which course of action feels right to you, or what pollution-halting ideas you implement, every little bit helps and if everyone cuts down -- even a little bit -- we can all make a big difference for the planet.

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