Want to use less plastic? 7 simple swaps to make.

By now you are probably aware that plastic is a problem. Not only is it polluting our landfills and oceans (57 million tons of it per year, in fact), but concerns about microplastics — and their ability to cross our blood-brain barrier — are also growing. While the full scope of the issues associated with these tiny particles of plastic is still to be determined, some studies suggest they could increase inflammation and oxidative stress, which can damage cells and speed up aging.

There’s no way to stop our planet’s plastic consumption entirely; that genie is already out of the (plastic) bottle, and it will take government and private sector intervention to make a major difference. But there are ways to limit plastic use in our own lives. Here are some simple swaps to consider.

Cut out plastic water bottles

Plastic water bottles are convenient, but they’re a major contributor to plastic waste. They’re also often unnecessary when clean tap water is available. “Bottled water is not necessarily safer than tap water, and oftentimes [the quality is] similar to or worse than tap water,” one expert, John Rumpler of Environment America, recently told Yahoo Life. Drinking from plastic water bottles also means exposing yourself to thousands of nanoplastics. If you’re drinking on the go, look instead to reusable water bottles. Stainless steel varieties, for example, are durable, eco-friendly and often insulated to keep water chilled.

Change up your produce habits

You already know that bringing reusable shopping bags to the grocery store is an easy way to avoid plastic use — but what about when you get to the produce section, which offers individual plastic bags for bagging your fruits and veggies? Sustainability consultant Caterina Sullivan recommends skipping them altogether when you’re stocking up on sturdier fruit — think apples, oranges or a bunch of bananas — that can live loose in your shopping cart and whatever tote you’re taking them home in.

More delicate items (like herbs, cherries or grapes) can go in smaller reusable bags you’ve brought from home, says Sullivan. Make it a point to toss some lightweight canvas (or other non-plastic) totes into your go-to shopping bag so you have them on hand when you need to stash a head of lettuce or want to separate meat or fish from the rest of your groceries. Just be sure to wash them afterward to limit your risk of picking up a food-borne illness.

Bring your own utensils

Grabbing a quick bite at a food truck, fast food joint or casual café? Because these places typically only offer plastic cutlery, you should consider bringing your own metal fork or spoon to use instead. And if you’re ordering takeout, many delivery apps give you the option of declining plastic cutlery coming with your meal.

Do better by your leftovers

While lugging Pyrex around isn’t necessarily practical, if you’re headed to a potluck or big holiday feast and anticipate leaving with leftovers, you might bring along your own glass or some other reusable container instead of relying on plastic Tupperware. You can also look for more sustainable, non-plastic food storage options for your own kitchen.

Rethink how you gift

Do you often find yourself turning to gift cards for birthdays and the holidays? Before you pick one up at the store, consider this: Gift cards are often made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride), a type of plastic that’s difficult to recycle and releases harmful chemicals during its creation or disposal. Millions of these cards are discarded every year, contributing to plastic waste in landfills and leaching harmful substances into the environment.

Still want to give a gift card? Send your loved one a digital version that goes straight to the recipient’s email instead. Sites like Prezee even let you pick a custom image to go on it.

Other gifts can pose a plastic problem too. Even some wrapping paper can contain plastic — particularly if there’s a coating or special design on it — and can’t be recycled. Explore alternative options: Wrap presents in fabric or newspapers you were going to recycle anyway, use old gift bags from past presents or repurpose cardboard boxes to make your own gift box.

Check what’s in your closet

You may not think much about plastic when it comes to your closet, but you should — especially when purchasing new clothes. “Check your clothing labels,” Megan Meyer, a consultant and science communicator, tells Yahoo Life. “About 10% of the microplastics in the ocean are from synthetic fibers like nylon and polyester.”

When you do need a wardrobe refresh, go for something secondhand, suggests Brianna Sheppard, the manager of plastic and material science at the World Wildlife Fund, so you know you’re not purchasing any additional plastic. “Check out local thrift stores or join a community marketplace to help lower the demand for new production,” she says.

If you take your clothes to a dry cleaner, you can bring in a reusable dry cleaning bag and ask that your clothes be returned in that instead of the standard plastic film. Dry cleaners use more than 300 million pounds of plastic film in the United States alone, according to a report from Beyond Plastics.

You can also swap plastic hangers for wood, metal or sustainable cardboard hangers.

Try a metal straw

Some eateries have stopped offering plastic drinking straws due to concerns about their environmental impact, but they remain the go-to for most restaurants and fast food businesses. If you don’t want plastic (and a limp paper straw or sipping straight from the glass just won’t do), carrying around metal straws could be your best bet. Some come in fun, iridescent colors for an added pop of cuteness with your iced latte.

Want something disposable you don’t have to clean? Simar Bedi, CEO of Sol Recycling, a waste management company, has a novel suggestion: “Use pasta noodles,” says Bedi, who says that they are particularly popular in cafés in Europe. These biodegradable straws stand up well when wet, and come in gluten-free varieties too.

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