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5 New Ways to Reduce Your Plastic Waste

5 New Ways to Reduce Your Plastic Waste

If you've ever looked around and wondered why on Earth everything is wrapped in plastic—and if you've wondered whether such overreliance on a single-use product derived from fossil fuels is completely contradictory to common sense—you aren't alone. Plastic production is set to *increase* by a whopping forty percent in the next decade, and so it has never before been more important for you and me to curb our reliance on plastics starting in our own homes. Inside: 5 never-before-mentioned strategies to reduce plastic waste.


5 New Ways to Reduce Your Plastic Waste

 

Plastic waste is everywhere, am I right? (Hey there, plastic-wrapped cucumber!).

If you’ve ever looked around and wondered why on Earth everything is wrapped in plastic—and if you’ve wondered whether such overreliance on a single-use product derived from fossil fuels is completely contradictory to common sense—you aren’t alone.

Here’s the answer. Because plastic production requires fossil fuels, fossil fuel companies are investing billions of dollars into new plastic production facilities (source).

That’s right: plastic production is set to *increase* by a whopping forty percent in the next decade. You will likely observe more and more nonsensical items wrapped in plastic in the coming years, and it all has to do with profit (ahem … cucumbers). 

The plastic pollution crisis is here to stay, and so it has never before been more important for you and me to curb our reliance on plastics starting in our own homes. On this week’s episode I offer 5 new and never-before-mentioned strategies to reduce plastic waste and extend your Plastic-Free July efforts into August and beyond.

Here’s a preview of today’s episode:

[4:00] Why and how to give yourself reusable ultimatums

[6:30] Why, exactly, the supermarket depends on plastic (Hint: Money!)

[9:50] The health and environmental benefits associated with homemade snacks

[11:30] How to conduct a restaurant audit

 

Resources mentioned in the episode:

 

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Happy listening!

 

* Want more episodes like this one? Check out #062: 5 Ways to Take Home Less Plastic from the Supermarket.

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If you've ever looked around and wondered why on Earth everything is wrapped in plastic—and if you've wondered whether such overreliance on a single-use product derived from fossil fuels is completely contradictory to common sense—you aren't alone. Plastic production is set to *increase* by a whopping forty percent in the next decade, and so it has never before been more important for you and me to curb our reliance on plastics starting in our own homes. Inside: 5 never-before-mentioned strategies to reduce plastic waste.

If you've ever looked around and wondered why on Earth everything is wrapped in plastic—and if you've wondered whether such overreliance on a single-use product derived from fossil fuels is completely contradictory to common sense—you aren't alone. Plastic production is set to *increase* by a whopping forty percent in the next decade, and so it has never before been more important for you and me to curb our reliance on plastics starting in our own homes. Inside: 5 never-before-mentioned strategies to reduce plastic waste.

If you've ever looked around and wondered why on Earth everything is wrapped in plastic—and if you've wondered whether such overreliance on a single-use product derived from fossil fuels is completely contradictory to common sense—you aren't alone. Plastic production is set to *increase* by a whopping forty percent in the next decade, and so it has never before been more important for you and me to curb our reliance on plastics starting in our own homes. Inside: 5 never-before-mentioned strategies to reduce plastic waste.

If you've ever looked around and wondered why on Earth everything is wrapped in plastic—and if you've wondered whether such overreliance on a single-use product derived from fossil fuels is completely contradictory to common sense—you aren't alone. Plastic production is set to *increase* by a whopping forty percent in the next decade, and so it has never before been more important for you and me to curb our reliance on plastics starting in our own homes. Inside: 5 never-before-mentioned strategies to reduce plastic waste.

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The Unfollow Effect

We've come a long way. But not necessarily in the right direction.

From the the nostalgic days of AOL Instant Messenger to 2026's high-stakes, algorithmic landscape, constant connectivity has fundamentally shifted our attention spans, our peace of mind, and the way we show up for our families.

Worse, the desire to show up online often takes us directly out of real life. It's no surprise, then, that we're feeling the mental and emotional weight of the "scroll".

We don't have to throw our phones in a lake to find the reprieve we desperately need. On today's show author Emily Feldpausch argues that it isn’t about rejecting technology. It’s about reclaiming the intentionality that the algorithms try to take away.

Here's a preview:

[5:00] Reflections on the shift from the early days of AIM and MySpace to the current user experience that often feels designed against us

[8:45] How being always on has eroded our collective sense of peace and altered the dynamics of modern family life

[18:00] How to stop checking in and start being present

[23:00] A candid look at 2026 internet culture, from shopping hauls to harmful beauty standards. Can we still find corners of the web that align with our true values?

[27:00] Emily's personal strategies for maintaining phone boundaries to protect her mental space

 

Resources mentioned:


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Hello there, I’m Stephanie. I live a crazy, beautiful life as a full-time wife, blogger + mother to two spirited daughters. I’m on a mission to simplify eco-friendly living so as to greater enjoy life’s sweeter moments.

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