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As you all know that plastics can never be destroyed, it gets crumbled in minute bits generally termed as photo degrades. These plastic bits can come into your food supply and can prove fatal in your lives. The same plastic is instrumental in polluting the water with lethal chemicals like hormone disruptors, carcinogens and PCB’s. Everyone throw the plastic; be it on the floor or at the municipal garbage, however, these all end up in the ocean coming back in our life in a large extent. Though this problem cannot be eliminated completely, but it can be curbed to certain extent. The following are the 10 simple ways of preventing exposure to plastics:
1) Shun plastic products: Plastic though is convenient option to use, however, it finds an easy way to our food. When you process any food stuff in a microwave, it vaporizes the plastic making the plastic residue to enter into it thus contaminating your food. Instead of using plastic glasses better reuse the glass or containers of Tupperware.
2) Knock out the bottle: Replace all the plastic bottles with glass. Plastic bottles though are handy to use, however, comes with many lethal consequences. Hence its better you switch over to steel or sigg or glass bottle. By doing so, you can shield yourself from being exposed to various chemicals present in the cheap plastic bottles. Also even avoid the plastic straw you get in various restaurants with their soft drinks.
3) Recycle or reuse plastic: You can recycle the plastic and by doing so, you are saving money on the trash bags. Many of the plastic containers can be washed properly (preferably sterilizing with cider vinegar). Remember only the plastics which are of higher grades can be reused.
4) Opt for products made up of biodegradable plastic: Nowadays, you will find couples of plastic cups and packaging peanuts and other supplies generally made up of biodegradable materials. These prove great solution to the issue of plastics polluting our environment.
5) Repair, sell or upgrade the gadgets: Many of the cell phone or iPod users get latest models even they do not need them and put their devices in trash, contributing a lot of pollution in our environment. However, the older versions of cell phones or iPods are more superior in quality and can be repaired easily. So better, repair, replace or sell rather than dumping in the dust bin.
6) Recycle your computer components: If you want to upgrade your PC, don’t just dump your monitor, rather take them to any electronic recycler.
7) Use cloth based grocery bags instead of plastic: Replace the plastic bags with cloth grocery bags. Of late, stores have started charging plastic bags; hence by carrying cloth bags you can not only save money but also contribute using less plastic in the polluting world. Also reuse your old bags rather than asking for new.
8) Worry about the tiny plastic: The worst of the plastic is the tiny bits, which usually is consumed by the animals like fish, turtles, birds etc. These poor animals die often consuming these tiny bits thus leaving nothing but plastic in them.
9) Don’t be a litter bug: Many of the people think that by donating the litter they contributing less garbage to the world. There are few people who throw their used car batteries having sulfuric acid into forest area. The truth is these remain for ages and keep damaging the environment.
10) Clean your neighboring pond: Often you will find small ponds near your place which contain water which are cleaner than the municipal taps water. The reason behind is obviously the presence of turtles or fish which keep them clean. However, these are seen with plastic debris, thanks to the careless people residing around. Allocate 15 minutes in a week cleaning this mess and putting them in a proper place.
Final Word: People often claim that it’s impossible to clean up the mess created by plastic, and they often wait to see some miracle happening one fine day. The truth is no miracle is going to come. We as the common and responsible citizens have to rise up against this plastic menace. By trying the above ten points, you can really make the difference in saving the environment from the alarming pollution spread all across the world.
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About the author: Rebecca is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on technology and environment. Beside this she loves reading. These days she is busy in writing an article on health care.