Plastic bottles take centuries to decompose. Every time we reach for a single-use bottle instead of filtered water, that choice sticks around a lot longer than the moment of thirst that prompted it.
More people are catching on to the impact of plastic and looking for more sustainable options. Plastic-Free July is one prompt to rethink single-use habits, but the tips below work any time of year.
What Is Plastic-Free July?
Started by the Plastic Free Foundation in 2017, Plastic-Free July is an initiative aimed at reducing plastic use through awareness and practical action, with millions of participants worldwide. If you want to join in, you can take the challenge here.
6 Tips for Reducing Plastic Waste in Your Routine
- Buy bulk instead of prepacked foods. A lot of plastic waste comes from food packaging. Buying dry goods like rice, beans, nuts, or seeds in bulk means fewer bags and less waste overall.
- Get a reusable water bottle. Reducing single-use bottled water is one of the highest-impact swaps you can make. A glass or stainless steel bottle filled with water from a ZeroWater 5-stage filter tastes just as good, if not better.
- Use a reusable shopping bag. Reusable bags are inexpensive and widely available, and swapping them in for plastic bags at checkout adds up fast over a year of shopping trips.
- Switch to reusable straws and utensils. Americans use a huge volume of plastic straws and utensils daily, and only a small fraction get recycled. Bamboo, metal, or paper alternatives cut that waste at the source.
- Bring a reusable coffee mug. If you're a grab-and-go coffee drinker, working a reusable mug into your routine is a simple, low-effort swap that adds up over time.
- Swap liquid soap for bar soap. Liquid soap bottles carry a real environmental footprint. Plastic-free bar soap gets the job done without it.
Say Goodbye to Single-Use Plastic Water Bottles
Better-tasting water is something everyone appreciates, but running through single-use plastic bottles isn't doing your health or the environment any favors. An at-home water filter is a more sustainable option.
ZeroWater's 5-stage filtration system is IAPMO certified to reduce 99.8% of PFOA/PFOS, along with lead, chromium, and mercury, and removes up to 99.6% of Total Dissolved Solids like salt, minerals, and chlorine, for water that tastes noticeably cleaner.
Saying goodbye to single-use bottles is good for the environment, and it also means your family and pets get the best-tasting water possible, with a lot less waste along the way.
Going Plastic-Free Is Doable
Cutting plastic waste is as simple as shopping with reusable bags, making a few plastic-free product swaps, and buying in bulk where you can. If you're ready to do your part, join the Plastic-Free July challenge and stay hydrated with a ZeroWater pitcher or dispenser.
