Towards a plastic-free future

By now, no one doubts how harmful plastics are to the environment and to people’s health. We could give a thousand reasons to try to convince that the use of non-biodegradable materials is incredibly harmful to the planet, but it is already quite clear… Or is it?

We know that plastic can take hundreds of years to degrade completely. We know that our oceans are full of plastics and microplastics that we ingest through fish and that pollute the environment and marine ecosystems. We know that rivers and mountains are full of non-biodegradable materials that not only pollute the environment, but are also harmful to flora and fauna. We know the impact plastic has on human health. However, despite all this, we continue to consume and manufacture all kinds of plastic products and packaging. The cosmetics industry alone produces 120 billion packages every year, the vast majority of which are made of plastic.

This is why it is important not only to consume eco and organic products, but also to pay special attention to packaging (and buy in bulk whenever possible!).

Organic food and biodegradable packaging

In this sense, it is essential for organic food to use biodegradable packaging that does not harm the environment. It’s not just a question of eco products being sustainable on the inside, but also on the outside. Therefore, environmentally friendly packaging must take care of the planet and be in line with the 7Rs: redesign, reduce, reuse, repair, renew, recover and recycle.

To recognize companies that strive for innovative and sustainable packaging, there are the following awards Ecodesign Awards organized by Ecovalia, which highlight the best packaging for ecological and organic products. The competition rewards packaging that is not only sustainable, but also looks sustainable.

The awards Ecodesign Awards awards value products that have a sustainable image and environmentally friendly packaging and whose materials are recycled.

Pay close attention at the supermarket to products that meet these characteristics (and have the green leaf label!) and get them whenever you can.

Remember:

1. Try to buy products whose packaging contains biodegradable materials (this also applies to shampoos, toothpastes, creams, gels…).
2. If you have to buy something that comes packaged in plastic: REJECT IT!
3. Reuse containers whenever possible. Glass, for example, is perfect for storing leftovers, works as a tupperware and is ideal for food storage.
4. If you can, participate in the cleanup of the environments you visit by picking up the non-biodegradable trash you find (this can be a very good activity with children).
5. Don’t throw it away, recycle it! We are very bad used to throw away everything that breaks down, but it is important that we recover the old habits: repairing is the key to stop consuming at the rate we do.
6. Open your eyes: practically everything we consume is wrapped or made with plastic, from food to cleaning products, from personal hygiene products to the packaging of what we buy online. It is important that we educate ourselves and start looking at the packaging and wrapping of what we consume: is it really necessary to buy bananas or avocados in a polystyrene tray wrapped in plastic wrap? Of course not!

Sources:

1. Greenpeace report: Recycling is not enough. Plastic packaging waste management in Spain.
2. Ecodesign Awards
3. The sustainable plastic revolution reaches the cosmetics industry
4. Microplastics in food: their effect on health and how to reduce them