What Can YOU Do About Climate Change?

posted by Sheila Ondrachek

The threat of climate change can seem overwhelming. What steps can we take? And will it really make a difference? There are a lot of things we can do, and yes, if enough of us get on board, it CAN really make a difference. We’ve all been in denial too long about our way of life and how it impacts the environment. We won’t save the planet if we don’t start to make changes. All it takes is starting with a few small steps at a time.

Waste is a main driver of climate change, and plastic is a one of the biggest culprits. Less than 50 years ago, plastics and plastic-coated paper products were a rarity. Now, just about everything is wrapped, packaged, and served using single-use plastic. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Yes, it might be hard to change old habits, however, it will be worth it.

Here’s just a few shifts I’ve made, and that you can do too. I promise, it won’t be as painful as you might think.

I drink a lot of Diet Coke, and I usually get it from 7-Eleven. I’ve reused the same plastic cup going on three years. If you do the same, or drink coffee, bring your own cup and have it refilled. Keep one with you in the car, so you always have it handy. I drink it almost every day, and so I’ve saved close to 1000 plastic cups and lids from going into landfills. That’s a lot of cups!

Are you a user of Ziploc bags for leftovers, lunches, and snacks? I used to be, but I’ve realized how much I’ve thrown away over the years, and that’s more plastic going into landfills and possibly our oceans.  There are several alternatives, including paper sandwich and quart-size bags that are compostable called Lunchskins, and you can buy them online or at Whole Foods. Stashers, made of food-grade silicone, are also a great alternative to zip-close plastic bags, and an even more sustainable option. Not only can you use them for food storage, you can freeze in them, boil in them, microwave in them, put them in the oven and clean them in the dishwasher. They are an investment, but if you sign their plastic-free pledge, you’ll get 20% off your order. Also, keep an eye out on Good Morning America or the View for deals on them from time to time, up to 50% off.

If you don’t already have reusable grocery bags, I love this set by My Eco. It has four bags that are labeled for produce, chilled, cold, and frozen, glass bottles and jars, as well as groceries and dry goods, which is also the zippered pouch to store the others in. I’ve had them for a few years, and they have held up well. Also, think about investing in reusable mesh produce bags. I never have to use a plastic bag from the produce or bulk sections anymore. There are many places to purchase these, but I got mine at Flip and Tumble. Of course you can also get them from Amazon, and these from Ecoware have good reviews.

Let’s take a trip into your bathroom. There’s plastic everywhere. From hand soap, shampoo and conditioner, shower gel, and even your toilet paper — it all comes in plastic. How can you ditch the plastic in your bathroom?  A few things I’ve found that have been fairly easy switches are hand and body soap instead of bottled gel soap. It might take some trying different types to find one you like, but think of all the plastic bottles you won’t be tossing away. Lush has some great soaps to choose from, and one of their initiatives as a company is to fight climate change and reduce waste.  How about shampoo and conditioner? Ever heard of shampoo bars? There are conditioner bars, too. They are a complete zero-waste alternative to the plastic-bottled packaged hair products you’ll find at the store. Lush and a company called Ethique make both shampoo and conditioner bars, however, Ethique has them based more on hair type where as Lush is more about scent.  I’ve tried the Ethique’s conditioner bar and I really like it. Once I’m finished with my plastic bottle of shampoo, I’ll be ordered a bar of that, too.

If you don’t think you can go the bar route for your hair, there’s another option. Plaine is a company that sells shampoo in the more traditional way, except they’re in aluminum bottles that you can be sent back for recycling. They send you a refill, then you send your old bottles back.

Another thing I’ve tried is toilet paper from Who Gives a Crap?, a sustainable alternative to what’s sold at mass retailers. You buy it in bulk, and they have two types, one made from recycled material, and one made from bamboo. I’ve only tried the bamboo version, which is more expensive, but I like it. It also comes without any plastic packaging; unlike the type you buy from the store. 

Just think, if only the members of Western Front Indivisible made these swaps, think how much plastic we’d prevent from going into landfills and our oceans. And if the whole state of Illinois started doing it. And then the entire country. And then the world. It only has to start with a few — we are that few. And we can help change the world.