Recycling week might be coming to an end but that doesn’t mean recycling has to. Keep reading to see what little but important changes you can make.
Worldwide, only 9% of plastic is recycled.
79% of the 6.3 billion metric tons of plastic waste plagues our environment in landfills or as litter.
Approximately 19 billion pounds of garbage pollute our oceans, contributing to the creation of “garbage patches” and threatening wildlife.
By shopping pre-loved, we can rely less on plastic or single-use items and reduce our carbon footprint. Below are some ways in which this can be accomplished.
Minimizing Packaging Demand
Purchasing pre-loved extends the life of any given item and creates less demand for the wasteful materials used to produce new packaging. New items are often shielded behind plastic wraps or laden with stickers and tags. The United States Environmental Protection Agency advises that reducing waste at the source “saves on natural resources, conserves energy, reduces pollution and toxicity of our waste, and saves money for consumers and business alike.”
