Reducing use of plastic

Plastic is everywhere and many of the items we rely on are made with plastic.  Plastic has led to many good changes in our lives.  However, the single-use disposable plastic items consume a lot of resources for just a few minutes of use - not only the ingredients to make plastic, but also energy required to extract raw materials, transport to and from factories, manufacture, and then dispose.  Many types of single-use plastic items are not currently recyclable, and many of the ones that are recyclable are not recycled.  Here are some simple ways to reduce your use of single-use plastic items. 

• If you live in a location with safe tap water, drink tap water in reusable bottles instead of buying bottled water.  Here is a good article on tap water vs. bottled water.  https://earth911.com/business-policy/whats-wrong-with-bottled-water
• If you eat at fast-food restaurants, bring your own silverware instead of using the plastic throwaway items. 
• Look for alternatives to plastic wrap in your kitchen.  Buy reusable covers for bowls and baking pans. 
• Some people need to drink from a straw for medical, dental, or similar reasons. And some people just prefer using a straw.  Some of the new reusable straws are bendable and easy to use.  You can get a small straw-cleaning brush to keep the insides clean.  If you are not going to use the straw provided by the restaurant, try to tell the server “please don’t bring me a straw” as you order your drink.