Hey earth muffins! When you read the title of this blog post, you might have thought I made a mistake… Unfortunately, you read it correctly. Whether you know it or not, you actually ingest microplastics on a daily basis. This article suggests that we might eat a CREDIT CARD worth of plastic each week. 😳 Scary, right? Our society’s obsession with plastic is resulting in it everywhere – even the fetuses of unborn children! In today’s post, I will share some of my top tips for reducing the amount of plastic that gets into your body. Here’s all my thoughts on how to eat less plastic!
Avoid plastic water bottles at all costs.
Going completely plastic-free is a challenge because we use plastics in many aspects of our lives. However, I think this is a simple step everyone can take to reduce the microplastics we consume. Plastic water bottles are bad because (1) they cause a ton of pollution and (2) they leach microplastics into your water. Instead, opt for reusable water bottles! Always choose metal bottles over reusable plastic ones as well; I have a trusty Hydroflask that I carry with me everywhere. Reserve single-use plastic water bottles for emergency situations (a great example of when plastics aren’t all bad)!
Hey earth muffins! Are you sick and tired of ordering something off Amazon, and it coming in a box three sizes too big? I sure was! I thought it was so stupid that a tiny product would be shipped in a huge box surrounded by tons of plastic packaging. Sometimes, I would get a plastic bubble mailer instead. While those can be reused as bubble wrap, it is still excess plastic waste. Especially during Plastic Free July, I wanted to share with you all how to get absolutely NO plastic packaging in your Amazon orders! It is quick, easy, and effective in reducing your plastic usage. Let’s jump right into it! 📦
Steps for Getting No Plastic with Your Amazon Orders:
When you first navigate to Amazon.com, there is the “All” category drop down button on the top left of the screen. Click on the “All” so that you see the menu of different Amazon services and departments.
Scroll all the way to the bottom of this panel until you see “Customer Service”. It should be the second thing from the bottom of the menu. Click on “Customer Service”, and it will redirect you to Amazon Help.
Once on the Amazon Help screen, scroll down the page until you see the “Browse Help Topics” section. The very last option on this page is “Need More Help?”. When you hover over this, there are three options for you to choose from. Click on “Contact Us”.
After clicking on the Contact Us button, Amazon will redirect you to a new page. You should see a large yellow “Start chatting now” button on the left of the screen. Click on this button to start the chat! The bot will start asking you about your most recent order; so, keep selecting the option that you need help with something else. Eventually, you can opt to chat with an actual associate instead of just the bot.
When you get connected with an associate, ask them nicely to have your Amazon packages shipped plastic free. My message was, “I am hoping to get all of my future Amazon orders shipped plastic-free”. The associate should update your special notes and ta-da! You should now receive your orders without any plastic. 🎉
But, Does it Actually Work?
Before going through the steps listed above, I actually had placed an order on Amazon. I was curious to see how quick the “special notes” would be updated on my account. Sometimes companies can be misleading when they say no plastic packaging, so I wanted to double check it actually worked before sharing this post with you all… And I am excited to say that it does work! The three things I purchased were packaged in a paper mailer that was the perfect size for the three items. 😍 In my area, the paper mailers can be recycled just like any cardboard box too. What a huge win!!
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Final Thoughts
I can’t believe I hadn’t done this sooner! The steps to get no plastic packaging with your Amazon orders are super easy. Plus, it takes barely no time at all. I think it took about 3 minutes from the time I went to Amazon to the time the associate said he would take care of it for me. Please take the time to follow these steps and share this post with all of your family and friends. Just imagine how much plastic we would save during Plastic Free July (and beyond) by doing this!! Do you get your Amazon orders shipped plastic-free?
