A home gardener posted a photo of a plant inside a plastic salsa container on their windowsill and shared it in the r/Anticonsumption Reddit forum.
"I do this too," another Redditor commented.
The scoop
The original poster showed a healthy-looking plant with pride. They stated that they are doing their best to buy less plastic packaging and discovered that reusing containers to propagate plants is a great way to repurpose the packaging for items such as salsa and yogurt. Poking holes in the bottom of the container allows the water to drain so the small plants can thrive, eliminating the need to purchase new nursery pots.
Plastic food packaging poses a significant environmental problem because plastic doesn't fully decompose and just breaks down over many years into smaller particles known as microplastics.
Microplastics end up in the ocean and soil, the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the food we eat. Since only about 5% of the plastic we use is recycled, the rest ends up in landfills or lingers in the environment, creating pollution and harming wildlife and humans as it breaks down.
In addition, some plastic food packaging contains "forever chemicals," or PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — compounds that have been linked to adverse health effects, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. These health issues include increased risk of cancers, decreased immunity, hormone interference, obesity risk, decreased fertility, and developmental delays in children.
How it's helping
By reusing plastic food containers rather than throwing them away, we can reduce the amount of plastic and, in turn, microplastics that end up in the environment. The original poster has the right idea.
There are also biodegradable alternatives to plastic food packaging, but when using plastics can't be avoided, repurposing them is a practice that is friendlier to the environment.
It is also helpful to be aware of your recycling options to keep more plastic out of the environment, and learning ways to reuse plastics and other items when we declutter can be of additional help.
What everyone's saying
Redditors congratulated the OP on their environmentally friendly hack.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
If you were to switch from a grass lawn to a more natural option, which of these factors would be your primary motivation?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Making it look better 🌱 "Love it and wishing you and your plant the best," one commenter encouraged.
The OP thanked the commenter and replied: "Now that I learned how to do this, people in my life are going to start getting plants as gifts."
Another commenter liked the creativity. "Great idea," they said.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
