Yep, you heard me. Since this is my year of living greenly, I’m going to stop using disposable plastic water bottles. Did you know 8 out of every 10 plastic water bottles become landfill waste? It then takes 700 years for a plastic water bottle to even BEGIN to decompose in a landfill. These are devastating statistics. The alternatives to using plastic water bottles are simple. Begin drinking out of durable plastic bottles that can be washed and re-used. Ask for tap water at restaurants instead of bottled flat water or sparkling water. If taste is an issue, use a filter for your faucet at home instead of purchasing individual bottles. If you must buy a plastic water bottle, remember to recycle it.
Water bottles aren’t the only household plastics that can be recycled. From detergent bottles to food storage containers, many plastics can go on to become other useful products. I’ve outlined these types by their resin codes, which can usually be found on the bottom of each bottle/container.
Code 1. PET – Polyethylene Terephthalate: This includes bottles for water and juice, food jars and containers.
Recycled afterlife: fleece jackets, filling for comforters and pillows, tote bags
Code 2. HDPE – High Density Polyethylene (Clear and Colored): These bottles are used for milk, cosmetics, household cleaners, and grocery bags.
Recycled afterlife: bottles for nonfood items, plastic lumber, pipes, floor tiles
Code 4. LDPE – Low Density Polyethylene: This material is used for dry cleaning bags, frozen food bags, squeezable bottles and loose leaf binders.
Recycled afterlife: Garbage can liners, furniture, shipping envelopes, paneling
Code 5. PP – Polypropylene: This plastic is used for yogurt containers, takeout containers, bottle caps and closures
Recycled afterlife: Car battery cases, signal lights, ice scrapers, garden rakes
Code 6. PS – Polystyrene: This makes up food service items, packing peanuts, cd cases.
Recycled afterlife: Thermal insulation, camera casings, light switch panels
Remember, one person’s water bottle is another person’s fleece jacket so start recycling!