Take Action
Personal Actions:
Reusable alternatives
Ex. Water bottles, utensils, plates, bags, straws etc.
Using water bottle filling stations
Bringing reusable grocery bags and reusable produce bags to stores
Bringing reusable containers to restaurants for leftovers
Ask to use your own reusable cup at fast food chains, restaurants, coffee shops, etc.
Get your meat products fresh and placed directly into a reusable container
Buy liquids (milk, juice, etc.) in glass bottles
Avoid snack foods in single-use plastic packaging
Buy fresh products without plastic wrappers
Go to a local farmer's market for fresh produce
Carry reusable utensils and straws with you on the go
Use plastic free every-day products
Example: bamboo hair brushes, stainless steel containers, metal razor, etc.
Check products for microplastics (such as sunscreen)
Use plastic-free toiletries
Example: shampoo bars, soap bars, bamboo toothbrushes, etc.
Make your own cleaning supplies or shop for powdered cleaning products
Use beeswax wrap, reusable containers, or reusable sandwich bags instead of Ziploc plastic bags
Make your own food instead of buying process, packaged snacks
Locate and use a local plastic free refillery or zero waste bulk store
Influence your peers and community to reduce their single-use plastic consumption
Single-Use Plastics and their Reusable Alternatives
Starting with the Basics
Single Use Reusables
Plastic and paper Reusable cups (coffee) cups
Plastic water bottles Metal/reusable bottles
Disposable utensils Reusable to-go cutlery
Plastic straws Metal straws
Shopping bag Reusable bags
Produce bag Cotton produce bags
Disposable masks Fabric masks
Cleaning Supplies
Single Use Reusables
Dryer Sheets Wool dryer balls
Laundry detergent Zero-waste detergent packs
Disposable (wet) wipes Homemade fabric wipes
Plastic gloves Rubber gloves
Cotton buds (Q-tips) Reusable swabs
Bathroom Supplies
Single Use Reusables
Disposable razor Metal razor
Toilet paper Bamboo toilet paper
Makeup wipes Washable cotton pads
Makeup Recycled-plastic packaged makeup
Emery boards Glass nail files
Feminine products Washable and reusable products
Kitchen Supplies
Single Use Reusables
Saran or plastic wrap Beeswax and cloth wraps
Sandwich bags Silicon sandwich bags
Paper napkins Cloth napkins
Paper towels Cloth paper towels
Tea bags Loose leaf tea
Drink cartons (paper cups)
Glass bottles
Aluminum cans
Single-serving containers
Multi-serving containers
Common Household Items
Plastic Eco-friendly materials
Hairbrushes Bamboo hairbrush
Toothbrushes Bamboo toothbrush
Phone cases Organic materials or recycled plastic phone case
Plastic food storage containers Stainless steel containers
Sponges Silicone sponges
Shampoo and conditioner Hair care bars
Soap Bar soap
Loofah Natural loofah
Hair ties Fabric hair ties
Bed sheets Organic bedding
Electronics Chargers Recycled plastics cords
Sunscreen Reef safe sunscreen
Common Single-Use Items
Plastic disposables Eco alternatives
Dental floss Silk floss
Balloons Tissue paper pom poms
Glitter Paper confetti
Tape Washi tape or painters tape
Ribbon or plastic string Twine
Plastic garlands Paper streamers
Pet waste bags Compostable pet waste bags
Chewing gum Plastic free chewing gum
Quick Guide to Recycling
Recycling systems, especially in the United States, are flawed, which is why the best practice is to reduce your consumption rather than using plastic and trying to recycle.
A 2017 study found that, as of 2015, only about 9% of all plastic waste in the world has been recycled, while 12% has been incinerate and 79% ended up in landfills or the environment
Always check to see what plastics are accepted by your local recycling centers
Make sure the plastic you’re recycling is properly washed out- any food debris on the plastic could result in it ending up in a landfill
Typically, compostable and biobased plastics cannot be recycled and should not be placed in recycling bins
Plastic bags cannot be placed in recycling bins, however some stores near you may have places to recycle plastic bags
Other materials have higher recycling rates. In 2018, glass waste in the US had a recycling rate of 31.3% and aluminum 34.9%, according to the EPA
See the Personal Actions section above to see what you can do in your daily life to reduce your single-use plastic consumption
Greenwashing
Marketing tactics prey on the widely-known importance of preserving our environment and advertise to an audience of, largely, uninformed consumers who are easily misled—this is called greenwashing. The definition of greenwashing is when “ads or labels promise a more environmental benefit than they deliver.” Corporations are starting to feel obligated to respond to consumer concerns and demands for a “greener” planet. Consumers attempting to support green companies can be misled into purchasing products that are not eco-friendly.
To limit being greenwashed, be sure to do research on new products you see on the market, but the best alternative is always to refuse single-use plastic and items and to use reusables. This not only limits the amount of plastic being produced and discarded, but also limits the potential of being greenwashed or supporting false advertising claims.
Busting the Myth of Bioplastics and Compostable Plastics
The word “bioplastic” is appealing to those looking for an environmentally friendly alternative to everyday plastic items. In reality, “bioplastics” are not an indicator of how well a product will break down in the natural environment. Bioplastics are a combination of plastic sourced from plants, feedstock, and fossil fuels. Using plants provides corporations with an opportunity to advertise the product as “green.” Oftentimes, the plant-based materials are sourced from corn, which has its own environmental impacts associated with it, including water use, chemical fertilizer run off, and often results in algal blooms.
Compostable plastics also greenwash consumers through their false or hidden claims of how compostable their products actually are. Many compostable plastics are only able to compost and fully break down in an industrial composting facility. These facilities are not accessible to all communities and often there is no organized pick-up system, like there is for trash and recycling, to bring the compostable plastic products to the closest industrial composting facility. Consumers can mistake the term “compostable” as being able to be composted in a backyard compost bin leading to their compost to be contaminated with plastic materials. Essentially, without a widespread system to deal with compostable plastics, they will still make it to the landfill with other single-use plastic products.
There is far too much confusion when it comes to single-use plastic alternatives coupled with misinformation about a product's ability to biodegrade, be composted or recycled. The terms “compostable,” “biodegradable,” and “bioplastics,” impress buyers, influencing their purchasing decisions, while being unaware of their inaccurate understanding of how it will break down. Consumers should not be expected to understand the complexity of all the competing “eco-friendly” alternatives on the market. Instead, companies, governments, and other institutions should encourage refusing single-use plastics to create a circular economy where almost nothing is wasted.
Conducting Cleanups and Brand Audits
Although the Reduce-Single Use Project largely advocates for reducing and refusing single-use plastic as it is harder to remove plastic once it is in the environment, conducting cleanups is also an essential process to remove plastics that have already made it into the natural environment. Cleanups can take place anywhere from the beach to a college campus, waterway, city, park, neighborhood, and any other location where there may be an excess of pollution.
Holding companies that are producing single-use plastic products accountable for the plastic waste they are creating and the plastic pollution crisis they contribute greatly to is key when working to create change in the plastics movement. One method of action is conducting brand audits at waterway and beach cleanups which allows consumers to put pressure on the plastic producers. Plastic pollution is not the responsibility of individual consumers, so brand audits serve as a citizen science initiative to quantify brands found on plastic waste at cleanups around the world.
Summer in St. Pete - Activities and Economic Actions
Things to do
Explore Tampa Bay to support activities that aren't based on plastic consumption:
Go on nature walks at the Weedon Island Nature Preserve, Clam Bayou Nature Preserve or Boyd Hill Nature Preserve
Explore the Tampa Bay waterways on a guided tour or rent your own equipment
Visit some local or state parks
Take a tour of the local botanical gardens
Mountain bike in the Alafia River State Park
Dine in at a new coffee shop
Have a cone at a new ice cream shop
Go manatee watching at the TECO Manatee Viewing Center
Try Goat Yoga at Hat Trick Ranch
Pick fruit or pick up fresh produce at a local farm or farmer's market
Take a sunset tour or go glow paddling in the night
Take a trip to the St. Pete Pier
Places to visit
Check out these places to economically support plastic-reduction efforts:
Sans Market
Black Crow Coffee
Truffula Eco Boutique
15th Street Farm
Gulfport Food Forest
Rollin' Oats Market and Café
Kentwood's Organic Produce
The Merchant
The Yard Milkshake Bar
St Pete Brewing Company