How to Give Up Plastic - Will McCallum - Part 2 of 4

2020 Reading Challenge - Day 206

July 26, 2020

Book 57 - How to Give Up Plastic
Will McCallum
 Part 2 - pages 49-93

Reading Time - 60 minutes

All is not lost... if we begin to give up hope. McCallum gives us some stories of hope in the global movement against plastics. Cities and countries that ban plastics... it can be done. And when you think that the average plastic bag is used for just 15 minutes and yet will take 500-1000 years to break down... you know we have a choice to make.

We can make a difference... McCallum says that we if we just looked at the Big 4 Plastic Pollutants, each of us can make a difference:

• single use cups & lids
• straws
• bottles
• bags

Reduce our consumption of any of those and... we are making a dent in the problem. He also has some specific tips for different areas of our households...

In the bathroom... OMG... there is a lot of plastic! Think of all the bottles and containers and jars for shampoo, conditioner, lotions, make-up, etc. And let's not even talk about diapers or feminine hygiene products... Some tips that stuck with me:

• buy in bulk - shampoo and conditioner - bigger bottles are better
• try soap, shampoo and deodorant bars that come in non-plastic containers
• keep an eye out for microbeads and avoid any products with "poly-anything"
• get lip balm in a tin not a plastic tube
• try to get toilet paper in a box not a plastic package

Some ideas from the bedroom where, honestly, I thought I didn't have a lot of plastic. But... hello micro-fibre sheets and clothing! This includes polyester and nylon clothing... as well as fleece. Some tips to reduce plastic include:

• wash less frequently and wash in cold water with liquid soap and fabric softener
• buy fewer clothes
• buy fewer new clothes
• buy fewer synthetic clothes
• aim for cotton or silk sheets (not polyester or micro-fiber)