Plastic is everywhere — from grocery bags to takeout cutlery to pill bottles. While it can seem hard to escape this environmentally devastating material, a TikTok account shared a tip for avoiding one specific, unnecessary kind of plastic.
The scoop
Shared by nonprofit Sustainability Matters (@sustainabilitymattersva), the video highlights an often-overlooked plastic item that can be easily avoided.
@sustainabilitymattersva Nothing bad will happen to you if you don't use a plastic produce bag… I promise. #plasticpollution #plasticwaste #sustainableliving #plasticbag #sustainabilitymatters #winchesterva #littergrant ♬ original sound - Sustainability Matters
"Do you think as a society we can just agree to stop using plastic produce bags?" the user asks viewers. The video shows clips of those ultra-flimsy tear-off bags used to carry your tomatoes or lemons home.
While he also highlights that the bags were likely invented to prevent produce from bruising or getting dirty on the way home, being gentle and washing the produce (which you should do anyway) are simple fixes.
Instead of bringing these produce bags home, which are too thin to reuse for much else, he poses an alternative.
"If you do like produce bags for organization's sake, use stuff that you already have," he says. In the video, the TikToker has an array of veggies in a reused, thicker bag, which came with the bulk potatoes he bought. You could use a similar item, or any small bag around your house.
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How it's helping
According to a study published by Our World in Data, the plastic produced each year globally amounts to over 450 million tonnes (496 million tons).
As plastic is hard to recycle, much of the plastic created remains on the planet as waste. And though plastic is nonbiodegradable, it can break down, posing the issues associated with microplastics — such as risks to human health and harm to waterways.
Hacks like this help present attainable, simple ways of reducing plastic use, lowering the reliance on the hazardous material.
Any step to reduce waste is worthwhile. By bringing reusable grocery bags when shopping or donating old items instead of tossing them in the trash, you can do your part in protecting the Earth. Plus, if you choose to sell items you no longer need, you can make some money, too.
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Absolutely 👍 What everyone's saying
Commenters on the TikTok video shared their appreciation for this hack, with some agreeing that society should acknowledge the wastefulness more.
"Love this!" one commenter said. "I stopped using the plastic produce bags years ago. They are such a waste."
"I don't use them and it annoys me so much that people use them mindlessly," another added.
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