Don't Stick to Plastic !!

Alternatives of Plastic.

Although plastic as we know it was introduced less than 100 years ago it has quickly become a staple in our everyday lives – from light switches to cars to computers, plastics are unavoidable. Unfortunately, this explosion in plastic products has been devastating for our environment. Synthetic plastics are not biodegradable, which means that once they’re manufactured they’re going to be with us in our landfills and oceans for hundreds if not thousands of years. There is also a whole laundry list of toxic chemicals that leak into our air, water, and soil from the manufacturing and disposal of plastics. Recycling can help alleviate some of these problems, but the best way to protect the earth from plastics is to replace them with more eco-friendly materials.

Metal, wood, and glass

One of the best ways to get rid of plastic in your home or business is to choose products made from more traditional materials like metal, wood, or glass that are cleaner to manufacture and easier to dispose of.

Glass, along with metals like aluminum and steel, can be recycled indefinitely, meaning they don’t have to end up in landfills, and wood is also easier to reuse and dispose of. These products are usually more expensive, but their durability and green lifecycle make them worth the price.

Another thing to keep in mind: when buying wood products try to make sure they are eco-friendly and come from sustainably harvested forests. You can look for labels from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) which certifies that wood products like furniture, paper, and flooring are eco-friendly at every stage of their life from planting to your home. Also try to look for products made from recycled and reclaimed metal and glass.

Bagasse

Compostable, eco-friendly bagasse is great for replacing plastic when you need disposable plates, cups, or take-out boxes. Bagasse – the pulp left over when juice is extracted from sugarcane or beets – is used for a variety of purposes including as a biofuel. It can also be pressed into a cardboard-like material used to make waterproof food containers, which is a great use for manufacturing waste that would otherwise be thrown away. And because it’s made from plants it will biodegrade easily in a home or industrial compost pile.

Bioplastics

Sometimes it’s hard to find non-plastic versions of the products you need, so when you have to rely on plastics try to find eco-friendly ones. PLA or CPLA are made from corn instead of petroleum while taterware is a similar material made from potato starch. Both will biodegrade in industrial compost sites, although be cautious when purchasing these products as some are not compostable in home compost bins. Many companies are also now starting to manufacture bottles and packaging using PLA or other plastics made from non-petroleum sources.

There are many Eco-friendly alternative can used in order to avoid plastic adverse effects on health and environment.These alternatives include:

1. Glass :Glass is made from sand and not made from fossil fuels unlike plastics.
2. Reusable Shopping Bags :Most supermarkets offer plastic bag alternatives today. Some of it have patterns and some reusable packaging are printed with the establishment’s name. These reusable bags come in canvas, cotton, hemp, leather, fiber, and woven plastic.
3. Plastic Additives:While some are preoccupied in making plastic alternatives, there are some who are making conventional biodegradable thermoplastics by using metal compound additives called prodegradant concentrates (PDCs).
4. Milk Protein :Scientists indicate that milk protein can help produce a biodegradable plastic to make insulation, furniture cushions, packaging, and other products.
5. Chicken Feathers :The United States found out that disposing of chicken feathers is a problem, but with the help of innovation, they can be a material useful to make a water-resistant thermoplastic. Chicken feathers are  consist of keratin, a tough and durable protein like plastics.
6. Liquid Wood :Liquid wood looks, feels and acts like plastics but unlike petroleum-based plastic, this is biodegradable and suitable for various product packaging.
7. PCL Polyesters :Polycaprolactone is a synthetic aliphatic polyester that’s  not created from renewable resources but could degrade after weeks of composting.
8. PHA Polyesters :Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) polyesters are biodegradable plastics that resemble with man-made polypropylene.
9. PLA Polyesters:Polylactic acid (PLA) is an aliphatic polyester and can be made from lactic acid. PLA can also be created from wheat or sugarcane.

So, lets try to divorce plastic and find alternative which help us to dissolve and love nature. So, don't stick to Plastic !!