{"id":7135,"date":"2021-06-09T01:52:53","date_gmt":"2021-06-09T01:52:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alternatech.net\/?p=7135"},"modified":"2021-06-09T01:56:58","modified_gmt":"2021-06-09T01:56:58","slug":"the-disposables-you-should-switch-to-reusable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/the-disposables-you-should-switch-to-reusable\/","title":{"rendered":"The \u201cDisposables\u201d You Should Switch to Reusable"},"content":{"rendered":"

Zip-top bags\n

Plastic baggies are incredibly convenient because they\u2019re easy to tuck\u00a0in a lunchbox or purse. But after one use, they are fodder for a\u00a0landfill heap. Using just two a week means throwing out more than 100 baggies\u2014plus the money you spend on\u00a0them\u2014a year, says\u00a0Lisa Beres, a building biologist and healthy home expert and author. And sending\u00a0your kids to school with those bags\u00a0every day\u00a0makes the\u00a0numbers add up even faster. Instead, use a reusable baggie like\u00a0(re)zip, which are more durable but just as lightweight and compact as a disposable Ziploc.\n

Check out the Awesome Ziplock Bag Hacks Will Make Your Life Easier\u00a0\n

Straws\n

Americans use an estimated 500 million straws a day\u2014that\u2019s a lot of plastic going into landfills! If you like sipping your beverages through a straw, switch to a reusable glass, metal or bamboo straw, says Jonathan Zaidman, head of regional expansion for\u00a0The Ecology Center. Even if you stock reusable straws at home,\u00a0you can\u2019t control\u00a0restaurants that deliver\u00a0a straw for every drink and refill, whether you use it or not. But you can ask\u00a0your server not to leave any when you get your drinks. \u201cIt takes a little time to get used to remembering to ask, and oftentimes you ask and the server will still bring you a straw,\u201d says Zaidman, \u201cbut we think \u2026 taking that first consumer step forward is a beneficial and impactful way to make change.\u201d\n

\"\"\n

Takeout containers\n

Not only does a meal out cost about twice as much as a home-cooked meal, but those takeout containers take a toll on the environment. Eating at home puts you in charge of ingredients so you can eat healthier, plus you can reduce waste by washing those plates and utensils when you\u2019re done. Beres suggests preparing freezable meals on the weekends if your weeknights get too busy to cook. When you do eat at a fast-casual restaurant, bring your own reusable plate and silverware, says Zaidman. Some restaurants even offer discounts for people who bring in their own takeout containers, he says.\n

\"\"\n

Grocery bags\n

If you live in an area with a tax on shopping bags, you might already be in the habit of bringing your own reusable sack to the grocery store. But don\u2019t stop there\u2014you can cut more waste by avoiding plastic bags other places, too. Use reusable bag for produce like apples and tomatoes, and bring a tote for retail stores, says Zaidman. If those totes aren\u2019t your thing, feel free to use one that\u2019s more your style. \u201cMaybe you don\u2019t have a tote, but you probably have a backpack or some type of sack,\u201d says Zaidman.\n

Here are Some Simple Ways Green Living Can Make You Healthier\n

\"\"\n

Paper towels\n

A 36-pack of microfiber cloths will cost you just a few bucks more than a 12-pack of paper towels, but it will last you way longer. You can wash a microfiber cloth, so you won\u2019t need to replace them after every use. Plus, the fibers won\u2019t leave lint behind, which\u00a0makes cleaning easier. \u201cIt has a positive charge that picks up dust and dirt, which has a negative charge,\u201d explains\u00a0Beres. \u201cThey actually attract the dust and dirt, unlike a paper towel, where you\u2019re just kind of wiping it.\u201d If you can\u2019t let go of your tear-and-use routine, try\u00a0The Unpaper Towel, a roll of washable cloths that pops right into your paper towel holder.\n

Coffee filters\n

\u201cA simple way to be conscious of waste is switching out even just one item in your kitchen,\u201d says Sara Skirboll, shopping and trends expert for\u00a0RetailMeNot. A drip coffee maker can use a reusable filter instead of disposable paper ones, and even a Keurig doesn\u2019t need a new K-Cup every time. Pick up a reusable K-Cup, and fill it with your favorite coffee, recommends Skirboll.\n

\"\"\n

Coffee cups\n

Next time you make\u00a0a coffee stop, bring in your own thermos or mug. Some places, like Starbucks, sell cheap ones in-store that you can bring back to reuse, while others will lend you a mug if you aren\u2019t taking it to go. Sure, you\u00a0can\u2019t take it to go like a disposable paper cup, but that\u2019s actually a good thing. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing wrong with sticking around for five to ten minutes and not always being on the run,\u201d says Zaidman. \u201cYou get to take a breather and meet someone new or take in your surroundings.\u201d\n

Food packaging\n

You\u2019d be surprised how many items you can buy in bulk. Depending on where you shop, you might be able to find granola, nuts, candy, dry tea, nut butters and even laundry detergent. \u201cYou can get nearly anything,\u201d says Zaidman. By filling up your own jars and Tupperware, you\u2019ll save money and reduce waste, he says.\n

–> Read more: Types of Food Make Your Body Smell Great & Instantly Sexier\n

Water bottles\n

About 35 million plastic bottles go to U.S. landfills every year, and they can take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade. Beyond the eco-friendly reasons to switch to a reusable water bottle, though, it also saves you money. Most tap water is perfectly safe to drink, and even investing\u00a0in a filtration system saves cash. You\u2019ll put down about $250 for a particularly good brand like Propur or Berkey, but those brands\u00a0save money in the long run, especially if you spend that much on disposable bottles, says Beres. Propur and Berkey last longer without replacement filters than a typical Brita\u00a0and give you even cleaner water. That filtered water\u00a0will taste even better from a reusable bottle like S\u2019well, says Skirboll. \u201cNot only are you saving money, but you\u2019re saving the environment and keeping your drinks cold for hours,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s a win-win!\u201d\n

\"\"\n

source: tasteofhome\n

 \n

 \n

 \n

 \n

 \n

 \n

 \n

 \n

 \n

 \n

 \n

 \n

 \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Zip-top bags Plastic baggies are incredibly convenient because they\u2019re easy to tuck\u00a0in a lunchbox or purse. But after one use, they are fodder for a\u00a0landfill heap. Using just two a week means throwing out more than 100 baggies\u2014plus the money you spend on\u00a0them\u2014a year, says\u00a0Lisa Beres, a building biologist and healthy home expert and author.\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7141,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[96,116,40,46,6,95,64,31,32],"class_list":{"0":"post-7135","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tie-life-style","8":"tag-diy-home","9":"tag-environment","10":"tag-households","11":"tag-life-hacks","12":"tag-life-style","13":"tag-reuse","14":"tag-summer","15":"tag-tips","16":"tag-tricks"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Anh-ghep-Trang-Xanh-duong-va-Vang-Hien-dai-Cam-nang-Van-hoa-Cong-ty-Bai-thuyet-trinh-2.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7135","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7135"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7135\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7141"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7135"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7135"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7135"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}