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Theres nothing wrong with taking your lunch to the office in a brown paper bag or a plasticRead more Read. Look for Alternatives in Packaging. Most of the plastic we use is for packaging, meaning that its only used once then thrown away or recycled. To remedy this waste, look for alternatives to plastic packaging buy toilet paper wrapped in paper, buy milk in glass containers that you can return, buy whole fruit at grocery stores and forgo plastic bags entirely. Larger items like avocados or apples dont need produce bags. For smaller items like grapes, check with your grocery stores to see if you can bring your own bags for produce instead of using the grocery stores produce bags. Push for a Plastic TaxBan. IC795992.jpeg' alt='Microsoft Msdn Operating Systems Subscription Boxes' title='Microsoft Msdn Operating Systems Subscription Boxes' />Individual actions are important, but larger actions, such as those led by the government, can spark major change. Encouraging your city governments to create laws that encourage less plastic can make a huge difference overall in plastic consumption. Cities like San Francisco and Chicago have already introduced laws limiting plastic consumption. Meanwhile, some states like New York have killed laws taxing plastic bags. If youre unhappy with plastic bag laws in your area, take it up with the local government and consult Lifehackers guide to making your local government listen to you. Compost. Instead of using lots of plastic bags to throw out your garbage, reduce the amount of garbage you produce by composting. Youd be surprised at how much of your trash is actually compostable more than half. You can buy a compost bin that does most of the work for you or make one yourself. If youre unsure where to start, Lifehacker has a comprehensive guide to composting. But be sure to check city laws on composting first because some cities have banned it. Composting is a great way of turning trash into treasure, but you may have trouble getting Read more Read. Buy Secondhand. New items almost always come in plastic packaging, but you could reuse someone elses items instead of buying new ones from a store. If youre looking for a new toy for your child, buy it secondhand. Scope out thrift stores or Craigslist for things that you need like clothes or furniture. A bonus is that it will also save you money along the way. Just be more careful when buying used technology or mattresses.