{"id":23444,"date":"2025-12-15T16:07:37","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T16:07:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/chariot-university\/how-to-reduce-plastic-pollution\/"},"modified":"2025-12-16T21:30:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T21:30:08","slug":"how-to-reduce-plastic-pollution","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/chariot-university\/how-to-reduce-plastic-pollution\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Nifty Tips to Reduce Your Plastic Pollution"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\n.chariot-article {\n  max-width: 800px;\n  margin: 0 auto;\n  padding: 40px;\n  font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, sans-serif;\n  font-size: 18px;\n  line-height: 1.8;\n  color: #333;\n}\n.chariot-article h1 {\n  font-size: 2.5em;\n  font-weight: 700;\n  line-height: 1.2;\n  margin: 0 0 30px 0;\n  color: #1a1a1a;\n}\n.chariot-article h2 {\n  font-size: 1.8em;\n  font-weight: 600;\n  line-height: 1.3;\n  margin: 50px 0 20px 0;\n  color: #1a1a1a;\n  border-bottom: 2px solid #f7931e;\n  padding-bottom: 10px;\n}\n.chariot-article h3 {\n  font-size: 1.4em;\n  font-weight: 600;\n  line-height: 1.4;\n  margin: 40px 0 15px 0;\n  color: #333;\n}\n.chariot-article h4 {\n  font-size: 1.2em;\n  font-weight: 600;\n  margin: 30px 0 10px 0;\n  color: #444;\n}\n.chariot-article p {\n  margin: 0 0 20px 0;\n}\n.chariot-article img {\n  max-width: 100%;\n  height: auto;\n  border-radius: 8px;\n  margin: 30px 0;\n  display: block;\n}\n.chariot-article figure {\n  margin: 30px 0;\n}\n.chariot-article figcaption {\n  font-size: 0.9em;\n  color: #666;\n  text-align: center;\n  margin-top: 10px;\n  font-style: italic;\n}\n.chariot-article ul, .chariot-article ol {\n  margin: 20px 0 20px 30px;\n  padding: 0;\n}\n.chariot-article li {\n  margin-bottom: 12px;\n  line-height: 1.6;\n}\n.chariot-article a {\n  color: #f7931e;\n  text-decoration: none;\n  border-bottom: 1px solid transparent;\n  transition: border-color 0.2s;\n}\n.chariot-article a:hover {\n  border-bottom-color: #f7931e;\n}\n.chariot-article blockquote {\n  border-left: 4px solid #f7931e;\n  margin: 30px 0;\n  padding: 20px 30px;\n  background: #f9f9f9;\n  font-style: italic;\n  color: #555;\n}\n.chariot-article strong {\n  font-weight: 600;\n  color: #1a1a1a;\n}\n.chariot-article em {\n  font-style: italic;\n}\n.chariot-article hr {\n  border: none;\n  border-top: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\n  margin: 40px 0;\n}\n.chariot-article table {\n  width: 100%;\n  border-collapse: collapse;\n  margin: 30px 0;\n}\n.chariot-article th, .chariot-article td {\n  padding: 12px 15px;\n  text-align: left;\n  border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\n}\n.chariot-article th {\n  background: #f5f5f5;\n  font-weight: 600;\n}\n@media (max-width: 768px) {\n  .chariot-article {\n    padding: 20px;\n    font-size: 16px;\n  }\n  .chariot-article h1 { font-size: 2em; }\n  .chariot-article h2 { font-size: 1.5em; }\n  .chariot-article h3 { font-size: 1.25em; }\n}\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"chariot-article\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" alt=\"A woman jumping while holding a reusable canvas tote\" class=\"wp-image-4114\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/plastic-recycling-reusable-bag-1.jpg\" width=\"1920\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Plastics can be very useful, helpful, and convenient. Since 1907 when it was originally created, plastic has revolutionized the way we live. However, we have now reached the point that the pollution from throwing away plastics instead of reusing or recycling them threatens to overwhelm us.<\/p>\n<p>We believe that using plastics isn\u2019t bad \u2014 it\u2019s only bad when people use them in ways that are harmful to the long-term health of the planet and humanity. Thus, we recommend starting with this helpful list:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use a metal straw<\/li>\n<li>Choose canvas bags<\/li>\n<li>Use glass and cardboard<\/li>\n<li>Use a reusable water bottle<\/li>\n<li>Refuse plasticware<\/li>\n<li>Clean green<\/li>\n<li>Opt for reusable lunch containers<\/li>\n<li>Buy in bulk<\/li>\n<li>Reuse plastic whenever possible<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Decreasing the amount of plastic in our world really comes down to paying attention to what you use and how. It really is all about the <a href=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/blog\/reduce-reuse-recycle-repurpose\/\">4 R\u2019s of green living<\/a>: Reduce, reuse, recycle and repurpose.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4089\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"761\" src=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/metal-straws.jpg\" width=\"1142\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Use a Metal Straw<\/h3>\n<p>The whole plastic straw conversation can be a bit overblown, and we recognize the arguments made by many disability advocates, who state that straws made from other substances can be an inflexible safety risk. In general, we think purchasing a reusable metal straw represents a strong commitment to reducing your plastic waste. If you can make this decision for all of your beverages, we recommend it.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Choose Canvas Bags<\/h3>\n<p>There is simply no reason you ever need to bring home your purchases from the grocery store in plastic bags. <a href=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/chariot-university\/green-living-tips-home\/\">Reusable bags<\/a> are superior for several reasons:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They\u2019re more durable<\/li>\n<li>They\u2019re more attractive<\/li>\n<li>They\u2019re more functional<\/li>\n<li>They have more storage<\/li>\n<li>You can keep your freezer stuff cold<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We recommend storing your grocery bags in your pantry so you remember to use them as you plan your grocery list. You should also keep a couple in your car in case you make unexpected stops.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img alt=\"An assortment of green living items, including a reusable coffee mug, a reusable water bottle, metal straws, a glass jar, wooden utensils and baking ware.\" class=\"wp-image-1785\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/plastic-free-living-1.jpg\" width=\"1920\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Use Glass and Cardboard<\/h3>\n<p>If you can buy a product at the store in a glass or cardboard container, then you should do so rather than the plastic alternative. There are two primary reasons for this:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Glass can be reused easily<\/li>\n<li>Cardboard can be <a href=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/chariot-university\/how-to-recycle-properly\/\">recycled<\/a> more effectively and with fewer restrictions<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Making conscious choices for your purchases goes a long way.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Use a Reusable Water Bottle\u00a0<\/h3>\n<p>There\u2019s nothing new about this suggestion, but people still purchase plastic water bottles in bulk for use at home and in the office. Investing in a good filter for your sink or fridge is always preferable to buying yet another 24-pack of bottles.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re going on a long trip, simply fill up several containers and store them in a canvas bag. The only reason we can see for having lots of single-use water bottles in your home is as part of your hurricane prep kit.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Refuse Plasticware<\/h3>\n<p>When you place an order for takeout at your house, you should intentionally request that the restaurant not send you a pre-wrapped collection of cutlery. Besides, your good silverware and napkins are more effective than those cheaply made forks and spoons.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4115\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"1281\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/glass-bottle.jpg\" width=\"1920\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Clean Green\u00a0<\/h3>\n<p>Do you really need a different plastic bottle for every possible cleaning solution you might use in your home? No, you don\u2019t. With a bit of research into formulas and proportions, you can create a wide range of cleaning products with baking soda and white vinegar and then reuse the same mixing vessels each time you clean. Just be sure you purchase that baking soda in a cardboard box and the vinegar in a glass bottle.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. Opt for Reusable Lunch Containers<\/h3>\n<p>This is one of those situations where you can intentionally use plastic containers to keep food fresh for yourself and your kids each day. The point is that you\u2019re buying a few crucial pieces and reusing them over and over again to maximize their utility instead of using single-use plastic baggies.<\/p>\n<p>You can also look for bamboo containers for your lunches, as those are more earth friendly.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">8. Buy in Bulk<\/h3>\n<p>Let\u2019s be clear: We are not suggesting that you purchase lots of individually wrapped products so you can make fewer trips to the store. We\u2019re recommending that you shop from the bulk bins at the grocery store and bring reusable containers from home. By using the \u201cTare\u201d function on the scale and printing out the scannable labels, you\u2019re using less plastic for everyday activities.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, this ties into our tips for canvas bags and selecting glass\/cardboard containers.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9. Reuse Plastic Whenever Possible<\/h3>\n<p>As we\u2019ve mentioned a few times, using plastic itself isn\u2019t bad; it\u2019s using it wastefully and without thinking of the repercussions of your actions that causes problems. Thus, when you do purchase plastic items, choose ones you can <a href=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/chariot-university\/how-to-reduce-your-carbon-footprint\/\">reuse and repurpose with ease<\/a>. The less we send to the recycling centers, the better<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">You Can Reduce Your Plastic Pollution with One Simple Step<\/h2>\n<p>If we could issue just one directive to people, it would be this: \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/chariot-university\/carbon-footprint\/\">Stop using single-use plastics<\/a>.\u201d Saving all of our plastic use for items with long-term purposes and shelf-life would go a long way toward decreasing the amount of plastic pollution in our world.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>When we all work together towards a common goal, we can decrease the amount of new plastic pollution we create and focus on solutions for the material already wasting away in our oceans and landfills.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n<p><strong>Sources<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.treehugger.com\/simple-ways-reduce-plastic-waste-4864193\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.treehugger.com\/simple-ways-reduce-plastic-waste-4864193<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.productstewardship.us\/page\/PlasticPolicies\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.productstewardship.us\/page\/PlasticPolicies<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/theecologist.org\/2018\/jun\/25\/how-realistically-reduce-plastic-pollution-everyday-life\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/theecologist.org\/2018\/jun\/25\/how-realistically-reduce-plastic-pollution-everyday-life<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.ei.columbia.edu\/2018\/05\/11\/can-fight-plastic-pollution\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/blogs.ei.columbia.edu\/2018\/05\/11\/can-fight-plastic-pollution\/<\/a><\/li>\n<li>https:\/\/www.marineconservation.org.au\/how-to-reduce-plastic-use\/<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nrdc.org\/stories\/10-ways-reduce-plastic-pollution\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.nrdc.org\/stories\/10-ways-reduce-plastic-pollution<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.earthday.org\/what-you-can-do-to-end-plastic-pollution\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.earthday.org\/what-you-can-do-to-end-plastic-pollution\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn how you can reduce your plastic pollution and become more eco-friendly, including ways to help your friends and family.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":23512,"parent":627,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-23444","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23444","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23444"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23444\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/627"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23512"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23444"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}