Avoid plastic

1. Say no to plastic straws, even in restaurants. If you must use a straw, purchase a reusable stainless steel or glass straw. 2. Use a reusable produce bag. A single plastic bag can take 1,000 years to degrade. Purchase reusable produce bags (just be sure to wash them often). 3. Stop chewing gum. Gum is made of a synthetic rubber, aka plastic. 4. Buy common products in boxes instead of plastic bottles. Products like laundry detergent come in a cardboard box, which is more easily recycled than plastic. Try to avoid cardboard packaging that is coated in a thin layer of plastic, but it is possible to recycle these types of cartons. 5. Purchase food like cereal, pasta, beans and rice from bulk bins and put them in reusable bags or containers. 6. Reuse containers for storing leftovers or shopping in bulk. 7. Use a reusable bottle or mug for your beverages, and make sure to take it to your favorite to-go shop like Starbucks. 8. Bring your own containers for restaurant take-outs and when dining in, ask your restaurant server for a doggy-bag for your leftovers, rather than a styrofoam container. 9. Do you light candles often? Use matches instead of disposable plastic lighters or invest in a refillable metal lighter. 10. Become a citizen scientist and report your data on plastic marine debris.