Water & Beach Cleanups (and using less plastic)

Everyone should experience participating in a water or beach cleanups and see the impact of plastic in the ocean and in our water. We live in a trash society and a one time use society and we throw so much away. Here in Oregon, even our recycling is becoming trash because China does not want to take our trash because most do not recycle properly.

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We are going to run out of places to throw away our trash and currently, plastics are being broken down intro microplastics and are showing up in animals in the ocean. It's super fun swimming with manta rays and enjoying the outdoors, but we are slowly killing the animals in the ocean and rivers with our plastic use. We then eat fish and other animals that have eaten plastic and we end up with plastic in our diet. Yes, it's gross. As we go into the new year think about the plastic that is present in your life and ways to reduce plastic around you.

A few tips on how to reduce plastic use

* Go strawless. I know it’s hard. You have to ask for no straw before they bring out your drink. If you can, try to remember to ask for no straw when going out.

* Bring your own cup. If you don’t have a cup in the car, then have your coffee inside. So many times I’ve gone to Starbucks and seen people drinking out of disposable cups inside when you can ask for a mug or a glass when sitting inside. If I forget my Hydroflask or other mug and I don’t have time to go inside, then I don’t get drive-through coffee.

* Bring reusable bags and reusable produce bags when you go grocery shopping. If you forget to bring your bags, opt for paper instead.

* Think about the single-use items that you use and how to replace them with reusable items.

* Compost! I save my compost and bring them to a commercial compost and when I throw a party for more than 15 people, I break out compostable plates, cups, cutlery, and napkins and they get composted into soil.

* Give gifts in reusable bags or wrap presents in compostable paper.

* Stay away from single-use items like balloons, fireworks, etc.

* Bring a mason jar with you to a restaurant and use it as your take out container.

* Buy from a local farmers market or bring your own jars or bags for bulk bins at the grocery store.

* Make your own cleaners and put them in reusable bottles.

For 24 hours write down everything that is plastic that you touch. I promise that you will be blown away by how many items are plastic. If you go out and see trash, pick it up and its less trash that is in nature and outside that could get in our waterways.

If you'd like to get involved in beach or waterway cleanups check out the International Coastal Cleanup site to help set up your own waterway or beach cleanup or find other beach cleanups in your area. You can also find out the weird things that people find at cleanups around the world.

Check out the podcast on this with Tara Spiegel and subscribe to Experiences You Should Have Podcast where you listen to podcasts!