How to Be a Conscious Eater

plastics. Some retailers are even rebranding these as plas-

tic-free aisles. To minimize the use of the bags they have

on hand (which, at least, are increasingly compostable),

bring your own small reusable bags (cloth, for instance).

7 Pick plastic-free pots. Many home coffee machines have

BPA in their tubing or plastic components. Consider using a

French press instead.

8 #StopSucking. Think twice before using a straw. If you

or someone in your care is disabled and can drink only

through a straw, or if you just really prefer to drink bever-

ages through straws, opt for a less harmful material like

the many compostable options made of bamboo or hay, or

the reusable stainless steel ones. (Paper ones look cute but

don’t hold up well.)

9 Choose by numbers. If you look closely at the bottom of a

plastic container or plastic bag, you’ll typically see a lit-

tle number inside a triangle. It refers to the type of plastic

used and whether it can be recycled in your area. Download

the recycling guidelines for plastic in your municipality so

you can increase the proportion of your household plastic

RECYCLABLE PLASTIC CHEAT SHEET

SAFEST LESS SAFE (& HARDER TO RECYCLE)

Stuff that Comes from Factories 173

Conscious Eater_03 PT_4th patches.indd 173 10/23/19 1:35 PM