There is no denying it, plastic is really useful and plays a part in much of our everyday lives. In recent years we have realised the adverse effects it can have on the environment. We are constantly looking for ways that we can start cutting down on its consumption, in particular single use plastics.
The problem with plastics is that they are non-biodegradable and therefore take millions of years to decompose. A lot of the plastics which we dispose of unfortunately end up in our oceans where they degrade, leaching marine-toxic chemicals into the water.
A lot of the plastic we use can be referred to as ‘single use’. As the name would suggest, these plastics are designed to be used once before being sent to landfill or recycled. These plastics include everything from plastic water drink bottles, produce bags, disposable razors and packaging. Really any plastic item that you use and then immediately discard.
There are many ways in which you can reduce your use of single use plastics (taking reusable shopping bags with you to the supermarket, buying loose fruit and vegetables to name but a few) but did you know that the water softening and filtration systems we can install in your homes and businesses can also play a part in helping you to cut down?
Here’s how we can help…
No need for bottled water
Experts recommend drinking around 2 litres of water a day so if you don’t like to drink tap water due to the taste or appearance, that can add up to an awful lot of plastic bottles. A water filtration system will remove impurities from your tap water meaning that you can top up a refillable water bottle without having to compromise on taste.
Reduction in need for cleaning products and detergents
Soft water works better with detergents meaning that you only need to use half the amount for an effective result. If you live in a hard water area you will also get scale and soap scum building up on surfaces, all of which need specialist chemical cleaning agents to remove. Having a water softening unit installed will mean there is no need to use descalers at all. As most cleaning agents are packaged in plastic bottles, it’s obvious that if you reduce your use you will also reduce the amount of plastic waste you will get through.
Reduction in need for beauty products
As with cleaning products, the same goes for the toiletries that we get through on a daily basis. With soft water you will use half the amount of detergent products such as shampoo, shower gel, bubble bath and hand soap. Also, as soft water does not dry the skin and hair like hard water can, you will find less need to use skin moisturisers and hair conditioners and products. Once again, having a water softener will make all the difference in reducing the amount of products that you need and in turn will reduce the amount of empty plastic bottles and jars that you will dispose of.
As they say, every little helps so if we all do our bit to reduce the amount of single use plastics we use today, we can look forward to a better future tomorrow.