Countries around the world have introduced bans on single-use plastics recently, and for a good reason. Every year we produce 300 million tons of plastic and over eight million tons of it winds up in the oceans, causing harm to both wildlife and the environment. It takes centuries for any plastic item to break down and even when they do, microparticles still remain in the environment.
Luckily though there are plenty of eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastic items. These items make perfect promotional products and giveaways to customers, showcasing your brand’s care for the environment. Here are six eco-friendly and reusable alternatives:
Plastic Water Bottles vs Reusable Water Bottles
Buying a new water bottle each day produces an extraordinary amount of both plastic and water waste. Producing a plastic bottle actually uses up more water than there is inside the bottle, which contributes further to an already existing water problem. Fortunately, though, there’s something you can do to lessen the environmental impact — buying a reusable water bottle and filling it with tap water each day! Glass bottles are especially good because, unlike plastic bottles, they don’t release toxins into your drink.
Disposable Cups vs Reusable Cups
Each year, 100 billion coffee cups are disposed of globally. 100 billion! These cups often look like they’re made of paper, however, they are usually lined with plastic.
There is a simple solution though — using your own reusable thermal coffee cup. Many coffee shops actually reward customers who bring their own cup by giving them a discount. For example, big chains like Pret a Manger, Costa Coffee and Starbucks all offer a discount for bringing your own cup. Help incentivise this green behaviour by giving out custom reusable mugs with your brand’s logo on it.
Plastic Bags vs Eco-Friendly Tote Bags
Trade shows are great places for gathering new information and ideas as well as new contacts. What better place is there to write all that down than in an eco-friendly notepad!
Plastic Straws vs Reusable Straws
Plastic straws are being targeted in many countries, and for good reason. If you really must use a straw, then you can purchase your own reusable metal, steel or glass straw.
Plastic Cutlery vs Biodegradable Cutlery
Whether you’re going out for a picnic or just taking your lunch to work, chances are you and many others bring along plastic cutlery. You can easily replace plastic cutlery with biodegradable alternatives made of either wood or bamboo, or you can opt for reusable cutlery instead and just wash it afterwards — these small things add up to a huge difference!
Plastic Toothbrush vs Wooden or Bamboo Toothbrush
One lesser-talked about plastic item is the humble toothbrush. Sure, toothbrushes are not single-use, but nevertheless, they are thrown away every couple of months (or at least you should be doing that!). You can make a more positive environmental impact by using a toothbrush made of eco-friendly materials such as wood or bamboo instead.
Reducing the amount of plastic you produce can be a daunting task but it doesn’t have to be. By using these six alternatives to commonly-used plastic items you can take a small step in helping out our planet.
We hope to have convinced you of the benefits of reusable products over their single-use counterparts.
If you’re interested in sourcing eco-friendly promotional products, we have a shop just for you here. You can also contact us if you want to get a quote, or if you need any information regarding our products and our policies.
