How You Can Avoid Using Plastic!

Article Written By: Anica Yunji Hwang

NO PLASTIC BAGS!!

Students in NLCS Jeju use plastic ‘as if they drink water’ as a Korean saying. This means students use plastic so often without thinking as they do when drinking water. Obviously, however, plastic is not water. You can absorb and make water disappear by drinking it, but you cannot absorb plastic; you can only ‘emit’ them. Plastic is piling up rapidly and horrendously every day, only to eventually end up in the sea or forest for the innocent wild animals to eat. Reducing the amount of plastic you use in daily life is not so hard. Just a little bit of inconvenience is all that is required. Below are very simple methods I recommend you to follow throughout your daily lives: remember how your single small act can hugely impact your future (like the butterfly’s wings!).

A chocolate snack I used to enjoy is no longer my most favored biscuit anymore. It once used to be wrapped in a huge tight bundle of a single-layered package until one day, it’s design was renewed. It suddenly boxed up the small individual pieces, occupying a huge volume of empty space inside the box. The pieced were therefore wrapped in small individual plastic bags, and inside were plastic plates(what??) to hold the crumbs. To eat a small biscuit, I had to first open the ridiculously big box, open the plastic wrapper, and then take the biscuit from inside the strange plate! This was unnecessary, and I from then on never bought the snack. Avoid buying items packaged in plastic. Look for products and other items that aren't over-packaged. Buy food in glass jars rather than plastic ones, and detergents in boxes rather than bottles. Not only are you reducing the plastic you use, but you're also sending a consequential message to the makers of those products that you don't like plastic packaging!

This is what I wish to say especially to the boarding students during the weekends: “Use cloth shopping bags!” Plastic bags are an eyesore and are threatening to wildlife. Keep reusable bags somewhere handy—in your car or your bike if you are a day student, in your doorknob if you are a boarder. Boarding students go to CU every weekend, getting a new plastic bag every time. This is indeed not necessary. Jeoji, my current NLCS Jeju House, uses cloth shopping bags which we were given to design in the first week of school. At first, the students were skeptical about the idea since a light free bag is always available right in the store. However, now that we are used to using our own reusable bags, we find them more convenient rather than annoying.

Lastly, here are some intriguing news: smiley cafe (NLCS Private Cafe) is soon to ban plastic! Instead of giving students a plastic cup, a plastic top, and a plastic straw, every time they order drinks, the cafe will strongly ask for a reusable mug. This may irritate some of the students. Nevertheless, just simply stow you mug or tumbler on your desk, in your purse, car or bag so you have it on hand when you order or refill your drink. They can manage more drinks than plastic cups can, and they can also keep drinks cold and fresh. If you got a mug with you, the next step is to say "No straw, please." as often as possible. Straws are one of the top 10 items found on beaches. You do not need straws in many cases, you can simply just drink directly from the cup. If you do need a straw, you can get a reusable stainless steel or glass one.

Apart from the methods introduced above, there are countless numbers of ways you can reduce your use of plastic, such as wearing clothing made from natural (not synthetic) materials or aiming to repair your electronics rather than discarding them. As written, aim to upgrade your devices instead of buying new ones. Sell gadgets and computer parts, or find a facility where you can turn them in for recycling. Bear in mind how nothing you do for the environment is futile. A single bottle top from your drink ending in a poor little bird may be stopped by your regard for the environment.

Bibliography (MLA 8 FORMAT):

Website Citations:

Website 1:

EcoWatch. “10 Ways to Use Less Plastic Every Day.” EcoWatch, EcoWatch, 4 June 2018, www.ecowatch.com/10-ways-to-use-less-plastic-every-day-1881820411.html.

Website 2:

Wildlife Trust. “How to Use Less Plastic.” The Wildlife Trusts, 0AD, www.wildlifetrusts.org/actions/how-use-less-plastic.

Photo Citations:

Photo 1:

Bajpai, Neeraj. “Say No To Single Use Plastic Bags.” InnoHEALTH Magazine, 8 June 2018, innohealthmagazine.com/persona/no-to-single-plastic-bags/.