To refuse plastic for 21 days

It is said that forming a new habit takes 21 days to form and solidify the necessary neural connections in the brain. That's why we decided that the challenge we prepared for you will be of such a duration that the end result can be more successful.

But what is this end result that we are aiming for in this case?

Of course, giving up most of the plastic we use in our daily lives.

Why would I, you might ask. It is so convenient, light, cheaper, and in some cases free, and we are so used to it. Why give up such a great human invention.

And of course the first argument is because plastic pollutes nature. Less than 9% of all plastic ever produced is recycled. The rest, except for a small percentage that went to burn in incinerators, is found somewhere in nature: landfills, rivers, seas, oceans, and even at the North Pole and in the Mariana Trench.

Not only does it pollute the environment, it also causes the death of hundreds of thousands of animals every year.

But pictures like the one above would only touch people who are concerned about nature.

If someone doesn't care about dying animals, why stop using the ubiquitous plastic?

Well, because in addition to the environmental reason, there are two more that can motivate us to take this important step in our lives. It turns out that all alternatives to plastic products meet two or three main characteristics. They are more ecological, more economical and healthier.

That's right, by rejecting plastic products and replacing them with alternative, natural ones, we not only protect nature, but also our own health, and also the health of our wallet.

You can read more about all of this in the challenge itself when it comes to each individual opportunity.

We understand that the process of reducing plastic is individual and certainly takes much longer than 21 days. The shift towards reducing waste in our lives happens at a different speed, pace and in a different way for everyone.

Our 21-day challenge aims to motivate, inform and involve more people in this lifestyle and to make it easier for those of you who like to follow a program. Take it as the first important step towards your low-waste life.

During the challenge, in order to successfully complete it, you will need to make several small gifts that will delight you and serve you for years. Sounds great, right? Are you ready? Let's start!

Good luck!

21 day challenge

Day 1 – Replace the plastic bottles

We start with one of the most polluting things in the oceans. Plastic bottles are among the top 3 most common types of litter both on land and in water.

What are the alternatives?

Well, certainly not reusable plastic bottles. So-called BPA-free plastic bottles, which do not contain the hormone-influencing dangerous chemical Bisphenol-A, also turn out to be less safe. Recent studies have found that even these bottles release health-threatening substances that affect a person's reproductive functions and hormonal system.

PLA biodegradable plastic bottles are not such a good alternative either.

What remains and we recommend you are metal and glass bottles. Both types meet the three characteristics: more ecological, more economical and healthier.

Our favorite is the glass bottle. There is no better tasting water than that in a glass bottle. In addition to preserving the taste qualities, this bottle can safely be left in the sun, which will turn the water into sunny. If you do the same with a plastic bottle, you'll then have a cocktail of chemicals released into the liquid.

The only drawback of this type of bottle is its weight and fragility. But if you care about the quality of the liquids, you will easily overcome them.

The easiest option is to use a juice bottle. You can also buy a special reusable glass bottle.

If weight and strength are still critical for you, go for the metal bottle. Here, the main advice we can give you is to pay attention to the inner coating. In inferior bottles, the coating contains harmful chemicals that are released into the liquid, especially if it is warm. We know from personal experience that Swiss bottles are quality and healthy.

And so we hope that at the end of the first day you have managed to choose which bottle you will give yourself, so that you can say "Goodbye" to plastic bottles forever.

2 day – Reusable bottle for the child too

When creating a new habit, it is the most difficult in the first days to build the necessary discipline. Don't forget to fill your reusable bottle with water, tea or juice and put it in your bag or backpack before you go out.

Record how many times you fill the bottle per day. This way, you will then easily be able to calculate how much you have saved in a month from the bottled water that you did not buy.

If you have children, consider them too and provide them with a reusable bottle as well.

Today we will pay attention to, in addition to mineral water bottles, all other plastic bottles.

Deciding to reduce plastic in your daily life, you realize that to do so you have to live a healthier life. Most carbonated drinks are mainly sold in plastic bottles. That is, by giving up plastic bottles, you also give up carbonated drinks.

Let us tell you this is not a big loss at all, considering how harmful they are. If you're still having a hard time stopping them, or just want to get high with a sugar hit, opt for these products that come in glass bottles. You already know why - because they are more ecological and healthier.

Don't forget to prepare your bottle for the next day.

Day 3 – Plastic shopping bags

According to statistics, they are among the 10 most common polluters of seas and oceans. Cause of the horrific suffocation death of around 100,000 marine animals each year.

Unfortunately, Bulgaria ranks first in the use of plastic bags per capita in Europe. Statistics that should motivate us to stop them rather than despair.

Stopping the use of plastic bags is for most people the first and only thing they do to reduce their use of plastic. It's a good start, but only the first step to a plastic-free life.

If you haven't given up plastic shopping bags yet, make a decision today to stop using them.

4 day – Which bag should I choose?

Today we're going to talk a little more about alternatives to plastic bags and their pros and cons so you can make an informed choice. In this regard, a very nice and informative article on the matter is that of Lessplastic Bulgaria.

We will add a few things to what is written in the article. The most ecological and minimal footprint alternative to plastic bags are those sewn from unnecessary fabrics. Whether you do it yourself or a seamstress is up to you.

The other very important thing we want to draw your attention to is the concept of "single use". A concept imposed by the capitalist system so that we can all become endless consumers.

In fact, every plastic product that is considered single-use can be used multiple times: from plastic bags to cutlery and food boxes. But why bother washing, storing and reusing them when we can get new ones for free?

The concept of "disposability" along with convenience and low cost are the three reasons for our plastic craze. However, the price of this one-time convenience is quite high both for nature and animals, and for ourselves.

It is precisely because of this "disposable" thinking that we are now about to replace plastic bags with paper bags thinking that we are protecting nature. And a paper bag to deserve the name "environmental" must be used at least 3 times.

We love natural materials, so we prefer textile bags. But whatever bag you use, use it repeatedly.

We hope we have helped you in choosing your bag. From now on, don't forget her when you go shopping. For this purpose, it is good to prepare it in your bag or backpack and after shopping, as soon as you take the purchases out of it, put it back in your bag or backpack so that it is ready for the next shopping trip.

Day 5 – Coffee break

Today we will take a coffee or tea break from our challenge. No, that doesn't mean we won't challenge your lifestyle, it's just that the challenge lies in their daily use.

Many people drink coffee daily, but here we will not comment on the health effect of this, but rather on the environmental one.

Plastic coffee cups have already been replaced by paper ones in many places. Perhaps most people think this is a good step in the right direction. But there are two important things to know about this fact.

One has to do with the environmental effect of paper cups. The inside of these cups has a plastic coating, making them non-recyclable. All the so-called "composite" materials, which are made up of more than one material, cannot be recycled because it is very difficult or impossible to separate their constituent materials.

But even if these cups were made entirely and entirely of paper, it's a waste of precious resources, since the cups are disposable. One of the main principles of living with zero waste is the reuse of things, or more precisely their multiple use.

However, for the production of all these paper cups, which are used once, within 10-15 minutes, trees are cut down, which purify the air we breathe.

Don't you think it's crazy for such a short use to destroy the lungs of our planet?

Hello,

I'm Douglas. My family was killed because of paper cups. If you drink coffee often, please use a reusable cup. However, I clean your air. Thanks!

The other thing about paper cups has to do with their health aspect. Being plastic lined, these cups, like plastic bottles and all plastic containers, release harmful chemicals when something warm or hot is put into them.

High temperature is one of the two main factors for the release of harmful substances from plastic. The other factor will be discussed later in the challenge.

We hope these two very important clarifications have been convincing enough for you to decide to stop using both plastic and paper coffee cups.

What is the alternative to disposable cups?

A reusable cup of course. There are already available on the market those made of various materials: metal, bamboo, biodegradable PLA plastic and others. Our main advice when choosing a cup is that it does not contain any plastic. Choose one made of natural material, thinking not only about nature, but also about your own health.

If you're a non-coffee drinker, or even a coffee drinker, our challenge to you is to think about the tea bags you buy. Some of the brands sell their tea in bags that contain polypropylene. That's right, they contain plastic and are therefore non-biodegradable. Although polypropylene releases harmful substances when heated to 130 degrees, other additives in its composition can release harmful substances into the tea. Some of the most famous brands using plastic for their tea bags are Twinings and Lipton.

Day 6 – Fruit and vegetable challenge

Nowadays, more and more fruits and vegetables are sold in stores unnecessarily wrapped in plastic. You may even come across individually wrapped items. The plastic craze has reached monstrous proportions.

But this illusory convenience comes at a price. All this excess packaging is among the biggest polluters of the seas and oceans. If you don't care about nature, this fact probably won't bother you much.

However, it turns out that just as there is a cycle of water, so there is a cycle of plastic. It is precisely because of him that the discarded plastic, after breaking down into small pieces called microplastics, comes back to us through the fish and seafood we eat, through the water we drink and through the salt. By polluting nature, we pollute ourselves.

All these plastic bags and packaging are everywhere and free, but how does one avoid them?

Very simply, by buying fruits and vegetables in bulk. Our challenge for you today is to shop for fruits and vegetables using bags you have brought.

What bags can you use for this purpose?

Both plastic, paper and textile bags can be reused. Of course, we prefer textile ones because they are natural, long-lasting and strong. You can sew or buy some. But for starters, until you get the hang of them, nylon ones will do the trick.

To make your shopping more organized, make a list in advance of what you want to buy. According to your list, prepare the necessary bags. If you're going to be shopping for things like strawberries that might stain the bag, it's best to prepare a plastic bag for them.

When shopping in a supermarket, you put your purchases in the bags yourself, but if you are at the market, be ready to tell the seller at the very beginning that you are carrying a bag, because out of habit they immediately reach for a plastic one.

Day 7 - Children's joy - plastic straw

From childhood joy, plastic straws have already become a modern attribute of modern society. They are already used in drinking all kinds of drinks from frappes to cocktails. But besides being a fashionable attribute, straws have also become one of the biggest polluters of the oceans and seas.

Do we really need them that much?

Drinking any liquid tastes better without a straw because one uses many more receptors on one's lips. However, if you cannot give up straws so much and at the same time want to protect nature, there are ecological alternatives to plastic.

Metal, glass, silicone, bamboo and other straws are now on sale.

Your challenge for today is to decide to give up straws or switch to a greener alternative to plastic ones.

Day 8 – Ear pegs

You might be surprised, but plastic ear plugs are also among the most common pollutants in the oceans.

What can you do to avoid contributing to this pollution?

Pressed paper ear sticks are now available. However, this is not a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution for several reasons. Firstly, because they are also a single-use product and thus contradict the zero waste principles of life.

A more environmentally friendly and at the same time economical alternative is to keep one plastic stick and use it repeatedly by changing only the cotton.

And if you want to act not only more ecologically and economically, but also healthily, you can completely refuse earplugs. It is enough to clean the pinna and the ear canal as far as your finger can reach. Why it is not recommended to use ear sticks you can understand

Day 9 – Home made lunch or lunch to go

Today's challenge is about food. We challenge you to bring a packed lunch from home to put in a reusable box. If you don't have a glass or metal box to begin with, a plastic one will do. But keep in mind that plastic is not a good choice for both liquids and food, especially if the food is hot or greasy. These are the two main reasons for the release of harmful substances from plastic.

If you decide to prepare a sandwich, the possibilities are more. In addition to a box, you can put it in a plastic bag, in paper or in the wax towels that have become very popular recently.

If you don't have time to take your lunch from home, don't forget the reusable box in case you decide to buy ready-made food.

Enjoy your meal!

Day 10 – Fruit and vegetable challenge part 2

To today's second part of the challenge, in addition to carrying bags from home, we will add one more condition. Today we challenge you to shop for fruits and vegetables at the co-op or farmer's market. The goal is to buy only Bulgarian products. Not only will you not be contributing to plastic pollution, but you'll also reduce your carbon footprint by buying only local food. In addition, in this way you also support the native producers.

Day 11 – Disposable utensils

Today we challenge you to rethink and refuse single-use plastic utensils. They also fall among the list of one of the biggest polluters of the oceans.

Also, let's ask you something: do you really enjoy eating with plastic spoons and forks. In our opinion, it is terrible that a person constantly sticks this plastic in his mouth.

Choose restaurants that offer reusable utensils, and you can also bring your own. The cheapest option is to bring metal utensils from home. Another option is to buy wooden or bamboo ones, which are relatively lighter than metal ones.

Day 12 – Samun challenge

The older of you may remember how our parents used to send us for bread and by the time we got back a third of it was gone because we ate it on the way. One reason for this was that all the bread that was sold was unwrapped. Nowadays, however, one can even find bread that is wrapped in two plastic bags. The plastic craze is everywhere.

Today we challenge you to get unpackaged bread, for which you need to take a bag from home. What it will be, nylon, paper or textile is your choice. Again, we recommend the textile ones as the most comfortable, healthy and ecological option.

Many places now offer bread without packaging, so you won't have a hard time finding it.

Day 13 – Wet wipes

Wet wipes are everywhere: forests, meadows, rivers, seas and oceans. We use them for everything, and they are actually neither recycled nor decomposed, because they are made from the so-called "spinelace" material composed of polyamide fibers or in other words - plastic.

Today's challenge is to make a decision and refuse wet wipes.

What is the alternative in that case?

It is cheapest and easiest if you have normal tissues, napkins or toilet paper on hand to combine with the water you carry in your reusable bottle to achieve the desired effect. And it is best if you use reusable cloth wipes.

Day 14 – Bean work

Today, almost everything in the store is in plastic packaging. However, apart from fruits, vegetables and bread, pulses can also be found in bulk and avoid plastic.

We challenge you to buy whatever beans you like, just in bulk in your bags. What we have already written several times about the types of bags also applies in this case.

If possible, buy pulses that are Bulgarian to reduce your carbon emissions again and support local producers.

Day 15 – Code: Red Moon

Today's challenge is split into two: one for women and one for men.

Women's challenge

You may have already guessed from the title that the women's challenge is related to their monthly cycle. The products that are used in this connection, bandages and tampons, are quite a big polluter of nature.

In addition to being environmentally incompatible, they are also unhealthy. Sanitary napkins are made from petrochemicals and more precisely from 90% plastic. This is also the reason why they do not degrade in the environment. Due to their bleaching with chlorine, it was discovered that they contain one of the most harmful substances known to man - dioxin. It accumulates in the human body and is the cause of problems in the hormonal and endocrine systems, suppression of the immune system, uterine cancer and others.

We hope this information is enough for you to decide to stop using disposable tampons and pads.

There are two alternatives to disposable feminine products: the menstrual cup and reusable pads.

Today's challenge to you ladies is to do some digging on the internet to read more about these two alternatives and accordingly choose the one you like better. We recommend the article – “The uncomfortable topic – sanitary napkins made of synthetic materials as a pollutant„

Reusable pads and menstrual cups are among those alternatives that meet the three characteristics: greener, healthier, more economical. You can do a simple calculation of how much you will save in a month and, respectively, in a year, if you replace disposable pads with reusable ones.

A male challenge

The challenge for men is related to shaving. It's about all those plastic razors that are constantly thrown away because their blades have dulled. Millions of these razors end up in landfills.

Have you ever wondered why we throw away the entire razor when only the blade needs to be replaced?

And the answer is again in the one-shot thinking imposed by consumer capitalism.

The alternative to plastic razors are good old metal reusable razors that only replace the blade. Greener and cheaper.

Day 16 – Cheese and olives

Until now, we have reduced our use of plastic by shopping for fruit, vegetables and pulses in reusable bags.

Today's challenge is about buying cheese, yellow cheese and olives. You are challenged to do so by taking with you containers to put your purchased products. In this way, you will save nature every time plastic packaging, which is one of the biggest polluters and in most cases is not recycled.

For this purpose, you can use both a plastic and a metal or glass box. We recommend that you only use a plastic box until you get another one, because grease is one of the two main reasons that plastic releases harmful substances. You can also get a jar for the olives.

And some tips for the shopping itself. In large chain stores, they are more likely to refuse to put you in your dishes. Therefore, we recommend that you shop at a smaller neighborhood store where you are much less likely to be turned away. In this way, you will also support the local economy instead of your money going to foreign companies.

Note that before they put the product in your container, they must tare its weight. If you see that the seller does not know how to do this, tell him that it is done by the button with the letter "T" on it. After your purchase is downloaded, this button must be pressed again.

Good luck with your shopping, you'll need it!

Day 17 – "Fast" food

Today's challenge is about all those snacks we buy while out and about. Have you noticed the excess packaging in the case that creates a huge amount of garbage every day. Patties or buns wrapped in paper and then placed in a plastic bag, sandwiches or hamburgers wrapped in paper and then placed in a paper bag. Even if the material is natural, it is an unnecessary waste of resources.

We challenge you, if you buy snacks, to reconsider the redundancy of all this repackaging and refuse it from now on.

Day 18 – Peanut in the land of nuts

Like all other products, nuts are sold wrapped in plastic. In some stores you can find nuts in bulk, but again they put them in a plastic bag.

Here we will share with you an interesting fact that we learned from a salesman in a specialized nut shop. He told us that by law it is forbidden to sell nuts in a plastic bag. That's why all those retail nut stores will put them in a paper bag for you. They try to comply with it because they do checks on them.

Again, we want to remind you that it is not so important the material as whether we use the given product repeatedly. In this case, you can keep the paper bag of nuts and use it repeatedly.

Whether you're buying nuts retail or wholesale, bring something to put them in to avoid excess plastic.

Day 19 – Household needs

Today we're going to get you thinking about the plastic in our lives that we can avoid. Every single plastic product has an alternative made of another material.

For example, instead of plastic clips, you can get wooden ones. They will surely last you longer. Plastic ones, after being baked by the sun, begin to disintegrate. Even if the wooden ones break, you can safely dispose of them in nature or compost them.

We will give you a few more examples that, in addition to being more environmentally friendly, will serve you much longer than their plastic versions.

Instead of a plastic strainer, you can buy a metal strainer. Apart from the fact that it will certainly last longer, it is also the healthier option. As you may have guessed, heat is one of the reasons for the release of harmful substances from plastic.

If you have to buy a new handle for the washing machine, let it be wooden. Or if you're looking for salad bowls, don't go for the cheapest plastic ones. Apart from environmental reasons, the other reason for this is again healthy. Hot or greasy food in the plastic bowl will cause harmful substances to be released from it. We recommend that you get a glass bowl, which, if you keep it, will please you for many years without harming your health.

These are just a few examples that are meant to get you thinking and motivate you when buying something for the home that is not plastic.

Day 20 – The big shopping spree

Until now, we challenged you to shop for individual products in your bags or containers. Today, the big challenge is that everything you buy is in bulk. Make a list of what you need: fruits, vegetables, bread, pulses, cheese, cheese or olives, or anything else. According to your list, prepare the necessary bags and containers.

By shopping in bulk, without unnecessary packaging and plastic, one realizes that impulse purchases are reduced. Living with minimal waste requires us to be more organized and disciplined. Like any beginning, it is difficult, but only until it becomes a habit and a way of life. And the good thing is that this organization is then transferred to other areas of our lives.

Day 21 – Last gift

The big shopping spree the day before was your biggest and last challenge. And for dealing with it, you deserve to give yourself one last gift for the past 21 days.

The gift you will give yourself is actually also a gift to nature. You wonder who he is. It is a bamboo toothbrush.

Every year, humanity throws away billions of plastic brushes that are not recycled, but end up in landfills and everywhere in nature.

The most common alternative to plastic brushes are bamboo brushes. The last challenge is to choose and buy such a brush. We will help you with this task by sharing some information about this type of brushes.

The handle of these brushes is made of bamboo and there is nothing special about it. In this case, we will say a few words about the bristles of the brush. These brushes are advertised as biodegradable, but it turns out that this is not always the case.

Depending on the type of hair, these brushes are of four types. Animal hair is used for the first. As you can guess these brushes are completely biodegradable, but maybe not the best choice for vegans.

In the second type, the hairs are made 100% from plants. This type is also biodegradable, but it turns out that they are not durable at all.

It is precisely for this reason that plastic or more precisely nylon is used for the production of the bristles of most bamboo brushes. There are two types of brushes here. The most common are made of Nylon 4, which is non-biodegradable. Even famous brands like Nordics use this material for their brushes, despite advertising them as biodegradable.

It turns out that it is very difficult to find a bamboo brush with nylon 6 bristles that is already biodegradable. Even if they advertise a brush made of this material, we advise you to research things carefully, because in most cases it turns out that Nylon 4 is still used.

If you decide to buy or already have a brush with nylon 4 bristles, you must remove the bristles before throwing them away or composting them. As they are very small, they cannot be recycled. Therefore, in order not to pollute nature with more microplastics, we advise you to burn them. Thus, the footprint on nature will be the smallest.

Now what?

The 21-day challenge is over, but for some of you, it was just the beginning of the shift to a low-waste lifestyle. We hope that we have been useful with the information shared and that we have succeeded with this challenge in motivating you to reduce plastic in your life. As you have already convinced yourself, this way of life is not only more ecological, but also more economical and healthy.

Source: back2nature.rocks