Plastic Free July: Ways to reduce plastic pollution during pandemic

LOS ANGELES - The coronavirus pandemic likely increased your usage of single-use plastics.

People have been getting a lot of take out which means more plastic use. We can't bring our reusable bags to carry out our groceries. But this is the month to get back on track. 

It's called plastic free July. Here are simple and easy ways to reduce your plastic use. And we need to do our part because each day, about 8 million pieces of plastic ends up in our oceans.
 
"Every piece of plastic that has ever been made still exists on the planet today," says Ashlee Piper, an eco-lifestyle expert. 

Plastic free July is the global movement to reduce all that plastic pollution and there's a lot of it. Only around 9 percent of plastic actually gets recycled. 

Here are small and easy changes you can make: 

Tip 1: Go naked

Your personal care routine is an amazing place to start going naked which means package free or low package products. 

A good example: Lush Cosmetics makes shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body lotions with zero packaging!

Tip 2: Refuse disposables

If you're ordering food on an app like doordash, just tell them no cutlery needed in the comments! 

Tip 3: Cans over plastic bottles

Aluminum can be infinitely recycled! Water company, Ever and Ever, bottles their water in aluminum. So it can be recycled forever and ever and ever.

Tip 4: Invest in a reusable mask

Unless you're a healthcare worker and requires you to change out your mask regularly you do not need disposable mask. 
Buy masks that can be worn, washed, and used for years to come!

Tip 5: Think second-hand first

Instead of producing new things if you're in need of some clothes, furniture, you actually look to second hand first. You're using some thing that already exist 

Go to sites like Craigslist and Facebook marketplace or consignment stores and make an impact this July...And hopefully forever.