There are lots of small ways you can make a big impact. Stop using disposable plastics. Support a baggage tax or ban. If you're a small business owner, you can really make a difference if you're looking for alternative packaging options.
Whether you own a coffee shop or a small business on Etsy, you can try more sustainable packaging options, such as paper and cardboard. If you work in the food industry, you might be interested in our Introduction to Sustainable Practices in Food Service course taught by International Culinary Studio. The problem only worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the necessary increase in single-use plastics for personal protective equipment (PPE), such as masks and shields, some governments and companies have delayed or discarded plastic bags and packaging bans.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the IRG and UNEP discovered that more than 100 countries regulated single-use plastic bags. While there is a need to increase the use of plastic to combat the pandemic, especially with regard to personal protective equipment, countries must ensure that these emergency changes do not undermine long-term progress in passing laws aimed at reducing plastic pollution. If countries want to rebuild better after COVID-19, legislative reform to reduce plastic waste is an essential part of the agenda. Product standards, certifications, and labeling requirements can be designed to educate the public about the environmental impacts of plastic and about the health and safety hazards involved in its production and use.
Legislation on single-use plastic products may establish rules on material composition, reuse, recoverability (to ensure that the product can be recycled), biodegradability and the guarantee that products can be composted. This approach can help consumers choose sustainable products. World Resources Institute 10 G Street NE Suite 800 Washington DC 20002 +1 (20) 729-7600. While there are many lifestyle changes and actions that each of us can take as an individual, ending plastic pollution requires a two-fold approach.
You can even try an egg for washing clothes: durable, recyclable eggs that contain plastic-free granules that clean and soften clothes. Extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs can ensure that manufacturers remain responsible for single-use plastic products throughout the life cycle of those products. This can be a great way to breathe new life into plastic items or old clothes so that they don't go to waste and you don't buy new things. If you're looking for more practical ways to prevent the spread of plastic pollution, look no further, do some local cleaning.