How to Reduce Pandemic-Related Plastic Pollution

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic:

• there has been an unprecedented demand for masks, gloves, and gowns;
• plastic-free swaps like reusable grocery, produce bags, mugs, and food containers have been banned;
• the plastics industry is using this moment to stoke fears about reusables and lobby to reverse single-use-plastic legislation;
•  oil prices have plummeted, making plastic — a petroleum product — cheap to make; 
• municipalities around the world have curtailed their recycling schemes since it’s cheaper to make virgin plastic;
• the locked-down masses have been panic-buying, online-shopping, and consuming home deliveries from restaurants in record numbers — adding to plastic pollution. 

What’s a conscious consumer to do? Is it possible to reduce our plastic consumption when we’re in the middle of a deadly pandemic? Can we still aspire to be low-waste or zero-waste (which was already aspirational in the best of times)? Take a listen to this episode for tips on reducing your plastic consumption when it comes to: 

• Restaurant Take-Out
• Grocery Shopping
• Hand Sanitizers
• Cleaning Products
• Ordering Online
• Properly Disposing Plastic Waste

Enjoy some ideas for reducing plastic waste at home and in your own life.

Click PLAY below, or subscribe to the RSS feed or listening through iTunes, Stitcher, or Soundcloud.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT IS A LISTENER SUPPORTED PODCAST. Please become a supporter today!

For more on living and cooking vegan (i.e. compassionately and healthfully), my books are here to help:

The Joy of Vegan Baking 

The Vegan Table

Color Me Vegan

Vegan’s Daily Companion

The 30-Day Vegan Challenge

The Joyful Vegan

How Zero-Waste Has Changed My Grocery Shopping and Kitchen

(Near) Zero Waste at the Farmer’s Market

Pig Laws and Black Codes: Why Voting Matters

LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST EPISODE

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Arbor Teas
• Far Leaves Tea
• Litter Less Bulk Food Guide
• TerraCycle
• Joyful Vegan Reusable Water Bottles (and other messagewear)
• Fillgood
• Waste What
• The Good Fill
• Common Good & Co
• Melior (Zero Waste / Refillable Products)