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Plastic is basically the bane of the planet’s existence. Single-use plastics, like grocery bags and straws, are definitely the least redeemable of them all, but really, even recyclable plastics aren’t the best for the environment. Instead, the best solution is to reduce our plastic consumption altogether.
“We cannot recycle our way out of the plastic pollution wave because we are using too much plastic in the first place,” says Carsten Wachholz of the European Environmental Bureau.
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Walk into any store, and you’ll see the extent of the problem. So many products, such as shampoo, seem to come only in plastic containers. Other products, like fruits and veggies, are often unnecessarily wrapped in plastic packaging.
Now, a wave of small businesses are becoming part of the solution by going low-waste or even zero-waste.
At The Refillery in St. Petersburg, Florida, customers can dispense products like shampoo, lotion, laundry detergent, and household cleaner into their own glass containers, no plastic packaging necessary. Customers pay for each product by the ounce.
“I knew there was a demand for it,” owner Monica Leonard told the Tampa Bay Times. “You can save big money and save packaging from the landfill.”
The Refillery is just one example of a growing trend among both small and big retailers. A shopping platform called Loop, for example, is partnering with major companies like Proctor & Gamble and Coca-Cola to offer brand-name goods in reusable containers.
Something to think about for next time you run out of soap!
