DID YOU KNOW THAT IN 2016, WORLD PLASTIC PRODUCTION TOTALED AROUND 335 MILLION METRIC TONS, ACCORDING TO THE EARTH DAY NETWORK? Although you probably can’t singlehandedly change the environmental toll of the amount of plastic pollution that comes from that kind of number, we’ve rounded up a few simple ways you can curb your consumption and do your part toward a healthier environment.
Reduce
We’re saying goodbye to plastic wrap, Ziploc bags and aluminum foil, and hello to reusable wax food wraps you can wrap around anything your hungry (or full) heart desires. Compare this handmade version to Bee’s Wrap sustainable food storage.
- PREHEAT your oven to its lowest setting.
- CUT FABRIC into desired shapes. Using pinking shears so the fabric doesn’t fray, you can cut your fabric into any shape or size you’d like. Consider what size or shape of food you store the most and use that as a guide.
- PREP + MELT. Cover your baking sheet with parchment paper and place the cut fabric on top. Sprinkle with beeswax beads and place in the oven to allow beeswax to melt for 5-10 minutes.
- KEEP IT COOL. Remove fabric from baking sheet (careful, it’s hot!) and allow wax to harden and cool.
FOR REUSE, wash in cool water (you don’t want the wax to melt!) with mild dish soap and let air dry.
Tutorial adapted from ApartmentTherapy.com.
Reuse
The next time you ask for a plastic straw, grab plastic bags at the grocery store or buy a bottle of water on your way to the gym (we’re all guilty of something!), you should also know that roughly half of the annual plastic production’s lifespan ends after just a single use. And most single-use plastics aren’t even making it to landfills, let alone being recycled. Instead, the equivalent of one garbage truck full of plastic is being dumped into the world’s oceans every minute. Curb your single-use plastic consumption with these reusable counterparts.
Recycle
Even stylish home decor can be environmentally friendly. Flor starts by sourcing reclaimed and recycled materials for every FLOR tile that is then manufactured in progressive, energy-efficient facilities that use less water and energy and produce less waste. Finally, when you’re done with your FLOR tiles, they’ll turn them back into FLOR for the next generation.