(Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection - Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Corner)

In last week’s Climate Corner, Rebecca Phillips explained the connection between plastics and climate change, and the general detrimental impacts of plastics on human health and the environment: Plastics are made from fossil fuels, are challenging to recycle, and do not biodegrade but disintegrate into persistent microplastics. Still, the demand for plastics continues to grow. Who is responsible? I am. You are.

Much of the plastic we use is our choice, though often unconsciously. Plastic makes our lifestyle more convenient (think ready-to-eat bags of salad and baked goods in plastic clamshell containers). We use plastics without even thinking about it, and that is a big source of the problem. We grab a bag from the roll at the grocery’s produce department for a cucumber or head of broccoli, and put it in another plastic bag at the checkout. If it’s a heavy load, double-bag. When we get home, we discard all three bags. But why? Those bags can be rinsed (if they’re even soiled) and taken back to the store for reuse for the same purposes. Does all produce need its own bag? Some does, but not every item.

With its Break Free from Plastics campaign, Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action is encouraging participation in a global challenge: Plastic-Free July (https://www.plasticfreejuly.org), offering numerous ideas, local events, and even a daily calendar (https://www.movtogether.org/PLASTICFREEJULY) to remind us to use plastics mindfully. By reusing and refusing plastic, we can help reduce the demand. As individuals, that’s a drop in the bucket toward making a difference, but drops can fill a bucket. Imagine if all consumers would just say “No” to plastics (when possible)! When we stop to think about it, and with a bit of planning, there are lots of ways we can reduce our use of plastic and help curb the demand for its production. I challenge you!

If you’re like me, you’ve got a dozen or more reusable totes in your car for the explicit purpose of reducing single-use plastic grocery bags. (The trick is remembering to take them into the store with you!)

Food storage bags need not be single use. Wash them out and reuse them until they get holes or otherwise show signs of aging. The jury is still out on whether silicone food storage containers and food-wrap sheets are environmentally superior to plastic — they are both dependent upon fossil fuels for production and made of polymers, but at least silicone can be reused hundreds of times. Glass containers are probably a best bet for safe and sustainable food storage.

Opt to buy beverages in cans or glass bottles instead of plastic, or buy frozen juice concentrate in cardboard cylinders with recyclable metal ends. Boxed wine contains a big plastic bag inside, so opt for bottles instead. Buy milk in cardboard containers. Take your travel mug to the coffee shop rather than reinforcing the demand for single-use styrofoam cups and plastic lids.

Decline plastic silverware by investing in a set of bamboo or metal travel utensils. I keep one in my purse and another in my car’s glove compartment.

Marietta has a terrific farmers market. Bring your own bags, and decline plastic bags the vendor offers. A few vendors offer locally made paste shampoo and conditioner — avoiding plastic bottles!

As an alternative to toothpaste, consider trying tooth tablets, some of which come in glass jars or compostable pouches. (Beware of compostable plastic, though since there isn’t a municipal composing facility here in the MOV, and such containers usually require sustained heat to degrade. Even then, they may break down into microplastics.)

Empty pet kibble and kitty litter bags are hefty replacements for trash and garbage bags.

Laundry detergent pods and sheets use polyvinyl alcohol, which is a form of plastic. Debate continues on whether PVA biodegrades entirely in municipal wastewater systems or leaves behind microplastics. If you’re going to achieve plastic-free laundry, best switch to a powdered detergent, especially a brand that comes in a cardboard box.

Many fresh bakery goods are available only in a plastic clamshell. By buying them, I am encouraging the grocery store to offer them in such containers. So, for my waistline as well as my plastic-free July, I’ll refrain from baked goods in plastic.

Why not give it a shot for just one month: to consume plastics mindfully. You have until Wednesday to prepare! Those who understand the threats of climate change and the unsustainability of the conventional 21st-century-developed-nation lifestyle have a moral obligation to reduce their use of plastic. The challenge is on!

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Dawn Hewitt, of Marietta, is managing editor for BWD Magazine, a co-author of Bird Watching for Dummies, and active with Washington County for Safe Drinking Water.