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ASHEVILLE GREENWORKS
  • Hard 2 Recycle
  • Programs
    • Bee City USA Asheville >
      • Native Pollinator Plants and Nurseries
      • Pollination Celebration >
        • Pollinator Photo Contest
      • Pollinator Garden Certification
    • Rivers & Roads >
      • Adopt-a-Street
      • Clean Streams Day
      • Cleanup Supply Stations
      • Trash Trout
      • WNC Big Sweep
    • Education
    • Urban Forestry >
      • Adopt-a-Spot
      • Cool Green Asheville
      • Food Tree Project
      • RRI
      • Tree Nursery
      • Treasured Trees >
        • Treasured Trees Calendar
    • Waste Reduction >
      • Asheville Bag Monster
      • Composting Information
      • Flip Your Lid
      • Plastics Reduction Task Force
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We are drowning in plastic.

From beauty products to grocery bags to water bottles to our daily cup of coffee, plastic is present in every aspect of our lives. Most of these items are designed to be used once and thrown away, usually heading to the landfill.

Some of the plastic that we think can be recycled, like drink lids, straws and utensils, end up in the landfill because they're either too difficult to recycle or there's no market for the end products. Even recyclable plastic such as water bottles are becoming harder to recycle.

The most effective approach to reducing our plastic waste is to REFUSE, REDUCE, and REUSE.

In January 2019, GreenWorks spearheaded the creation of the Plastics Reduction Task Force -- a group of motivated volunteers dedicated to reducing single-use plastic in our environment. 
​
Join the plastic-free movement and break free from the plastic ties that bind us.
Donate now for a plastic-free future
Mind Your Plastic May is meant to encourage and challenge us in our journey to live plastic free. These posts are created by GreenWorks staff, Plastic Reduction Task Force volunteers, and other plastic-free advocates in Buncombe County. If you've found these posts helpful and encouraging, please consider making a donation to support this work. If you have any questions, please email [email protected]
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Contain Yourself!

5/8/2019

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Spring has sprung! There are places to go; people to see, and everyone seems to be as busy as the bees this time of year. If you are like me, it seems like there just aren’t enough hours in the day. When I am feeling pinched for time I find myself ordering take out, or picking up something from the hot bar at the nearest grocery store. By the end of a busy week, it seems like my garbage is full of single-use styrofoam or plastic takeout containers. Looking at statistics from the EPA, I can guess I am not alone. In fact, the EPA estimated that almost 15 million tons of plastic containers and packaging were generated in 2015, and over 68% of those containers and packing straight to the landfill. Here are some tips and tricks to help you leave those single use containers in the past.

Ordering take out: If you want to grab a quick bite while on the go, ordering takeout may be your go-to option. Next time you’re ordering take out, ask to bring your own well sealed glass, ceramic, or metal tupperware to put the food in. It may feel awkward at first, but the worst that you will hear is “No”. You may also be surprised by the positive responses, and could potentially inspire one of the employees to start doing the same! It is also a good idea to bring a container when you decide to dine in, in case you need to take home leftovers!

Food from the hot bar: Like we talked about yesterday; bringing your own container is an easy way to cut plastic when shopping in bulk, but it is also an easy way to ditch the single use container when grabbing food from the hot bar. Since most hot bars charge by weight, you can weigh your container with an employee before filling it, and deduct that amount when you check out. In my experience, every store is slightly different, so I don’t hesitate to ask an employee to help me through the process the first few times.

Reuse what you already have: I always try to leave a container, or two, in my car. It is usually tucked away with my reusable grocery bags. It’s a good idea to have one on hand, in case you make a last minute decision on your way home or decide to grab lunch to-go that day. Don’t stress, you don’t need a new or expensive container to kick the single use plastic, and remember the golden rule: reduce, reuse, then recycle! I like to hold onto glass salsa, pickle, and honey jars for purposes like this, but really any old jar or tupperware container, already tucked away in your cabinet, will do the trick! If you feel like a specific container would help keep you motivated, check out https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/plastic-free-food-storage-containers to help you find the right reusable container for your lifestyle!
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Gabby Fitts
GreenWorks Community Forestry Coordinator
​AmeriCorps Project Conserve
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​Asheville GreenWorks is a 501(c)3 non-profit environmental organization, governed by a Board of Directors. Established in 1973, GreenWorks mission is to inspire, equip and mobilize individuals and communities to take care of the places we love to live.
  • Hard 2 Recycle
  • Programs
    • Bee City USA Asheville >
      • Native Pollinator Plants and Nurseries
      • Pollination Celebration >
        • Pollinator Photo Contest
      • Pollinator Garden Certification
    • Rivers & Roads >
      • Adopt-a-Street
      • Clean Streams Day
      • Cleanup Supply Stations
      • Trash Trout
      • WNC Big Sweep
    • Education
    • Urban Forestry >
      • Adopt-a-Spot
      • Cool Green Asheville
      • Food Tree Project
      • RRI
      • Tree Nursery
      • Treasured Trees >
        • Treasured Trees Calendar
    • Waste Reduction >
      • Asheville Bag Monster
      • Composting Information
      • Flip Your Lid
      • Plastics Reduction Task Force
      • Recycling Information
      • Smash Don't Trash
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer
    • Experiential Internships
    • Youth Environmental Leadership Program >
      • YELP Staff & Alumni
      • How to Apply
    • Make a Donation
    • Wish List
    • Sponsorship
  • Upcoming Events
  • About
    • Job Openings
    • History
    • Staff/ Contact
  • Newsletter
  • Blog Roll
    • Latest News
    • Protect our Pollinators
    • Voice for the Trees
    • Mind Your Plastic May
    • Fall Leaves