I have spent the past four years doing quite a bit of education about marine debris and plastics in the environment. After sharing the research detailing the enormity of this growing problem, listeners are often anxious to know what they can do to help. I typically recommend the five R’s: refuse, reduce, repair and recycle, in that order.
Refuse and reduce are the first two actions to take, as this is how to keep plastic, particularly one-time-use plastic, out of the environment. You can easily refuse to buy or use bottled water and other drinks by simply carrying your own water bottle. There are several great brands on the market that keep you drinks cold, or hot, whatever your preference.
Another item that has a bad reputation and is easy to refuse is the plastic straw. Campaigns like "Ban the Straw" and "The Last Straw" have encouraged people to forgo the straw or use a reusable straw. I’ve also seen compostable straws and even some edible straws. You can also easily avoid Styrofoam plates and plastic cutlery by using real dishes and silverware at events and picnics.
Finally, refuse to use plastic bags from the store. While convenient, they are disastrous to the environment. Simply get some reusable bags to haul your groceries and other products, put them in your car and, this is sometimes the hardest part, remember to take them into the store with you! It’s simply a matter of developing a new habit.
Repair items as best you can versus dumping them at the first sign of wear. Can you fix those holes in your socks and pants instead of throwing them away?
Recycling is at the end of the list. This is because recycling is often not the solution imagined.
While many plastics are recyclable, that does not mean that they actually get recycled. Recently, China stopped accepting plastic waste from the U.S., and as a result, the market dried up. Now, much of what is collected for recycling is ending up in the landfill anyway.
Recycling is part of the solution, but the primary goal should be refusing and reducing your personal use of plastics on a daily basis.
Laura Tiu is an agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Enact the 5 Rs: refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, recycle