Use reusable water bottles and coffee mugs. Did you know that those Starbucks paper cups are not recyclable or compostable due to the plastic lining?

Switch to bar soap, and shampoo and conditioner bars.  Some estimate that one shampoo bar lasts as long as three bottles of shampoo.

Some stores offer bulk and refillable options. Bring your containers if allowed. Look for reusable milk bottles from companies like Strauss Creamery. Litterless is a website that lists stores that offer zero waste shopping.

For liquid soaps and detergents.

If you need produce bags, bring a reusable ones.

Many organizations like Ocean Conservancy, Oceana, and Five Gyres do effective advocacy to reduce plastic.

Let your representatives know that you support legislation to reduce single use plastic. Extended Producer Responsibility legislation makes plastic polluters pay for some of the costs of plastic disposal.

If you own stocks, divest from companies that support the use of single use plastic.

Ask restaurants to leave out the utensils and condiments when you order take-out.

Beach Clean-ups remove a lot of plastic waste that is heading to the ocean.

Support businesses like Patagonia that are more sustainable and avoid ones that use a lot of plastic. For example, Patagonia made this ad telling people not to buy what they don’t need. They will also repair or take back any of their old clothing for reuse or recycling.

Vote for candidates who support legislation that will reduce single use plastic.

Some start-ups are offering reusable containers for take-out. For example, Dispatch Goods in the SF Bay Area provides reusable stainless steel containers and picks them up too.

Reach out to your favorite brands and request plastic-free and reusable packaging.

A lot of people are discouraged and believe their individual actions won’t make much difference. But your actions do matter, especially when you talk to others and convince them to take actions too. This is how movements get started.

The world needs creative thinking to figure out how to thrive without single use plastic, and what to do with all of the excess plastic. Put on your design thinking hat and maybe you will have the next big idea.

There are many great resources online to learn more about plastic free living.

Some excellent resources include the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Super.ngo, Upstream Solutions and films like A Plastic Ocean.

To test your own knowledge, take the Ocean Plastic Quiz by clicking the button below.