Top 8 Benefits of Using Eco-Friendly Plastics

Reducing the role that plastic plays in your family’s daily activities can have a huge impact on the environment. Many families are turning to bento lunch boxes from a reputable bento lunch box company, reusable napkins, and other environmentally-friendly products to do their part. It’s not always possible, though, to remove all plastics from your life. Choosing eco-friendly plastics can be the first step. These plastics are made from materials like recycled plastic, plant material, and biodegradable ingredients. Here are some of the benefits you’ll see from using eco-friendly plastics.

Reduce Carbon Footprints

Traditional plastics are manufactured through labor-intensive processes that use a large amount of resources. Eco-friendly plastics, meanwhile, are typically made from materials that allow for a more efficient manufacturing process. This reduces the resources used in their production, such as coal-powered electricity, and limits the amount of greenhouse gasses released during production. Eco-friendly plastics can therefore shrink your carbon footprint, helping to combat climate change and creating cleaner air and natural habitats for wildlife.

Limit Municipal Waste

It can take centuries for one plastic item to finally degrade, and when it does, it releases chemicals into the soil. Biodegradable plastics take less time to fall apart, and many of them can be composted. This helps limit the amount of municipal waste being created, leaving space in rapidly-filling landfills for items that cannot be composted or otherwise reused. Items in a landfill simply take up space, while composted plastics can become fertilizer that helps grow strong, healthy plants and benefit the soil.

Healthier Lifestyles

Many plastics contain BPA, PVC, and other harmful chemicals that can cause developmental issues, particularly in children. Plastics that contain these chemicals typically release them when heated, seeping into food and causing illness. Eco-friendly plastics that are made from natural ingredients, such as corn or hemp, are less likely to include these chemicals. By using these plastics, you can be sure that your family’s food is free of any harmful chemicals.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Eco-friendly plastics are typically thinner than traditional plastics, meaning that less can be used to adequately package items while still protecting them. This helps a small amount of plastic ingredients go a longer way, increasing the availability of eco-friendly plastic. They are also tough, thanks to a special coating often used to increase their protective capabilities, making it easier to reuse them for various household purposes. Finally, eco-friendly plastics can be recycle more easily than other types of plastic, ensuring that they will be turned into new products rather than use landfill space.

Safer Wildlife

Eco-friendly plastics present less of a risk to animals that may encounter it. While it’s never a good idea for an animal to accidentally eat any kind of plastic, eco-friendly plastic will degrade more quickly than traditional materials. This means that it is less likely to endanger animals, as it will disappear before an animal can encounter it. Traditional plastics, meanwhile, can present a serious risk to animals for centuries after they are disposed.

Reduce Oil Use

Most plastic production involves the use of oil. Mining for oil can cause serious environmental concerns on its own. It may damage natural environments through invasive techniques like fracking, putting animals at risk of extinction if their habitats are destroyed. It can also spill out into oceans and other waterways, further endangering animals and polluting sources of freshwater for humans to use in their daily lives. Using recycled plastic and other methods of eco-friendly plastic production limit our dependence on oil and prevent it from causing more damage to the planet.

Save Money

While traditional plastics are not particularly expensive compared to other materials, using eco-friendly plastic can reduce costs even further for manufacturers of packaging and other plastic products. The material itself can be less expensive, and because manufacturing is more efficient, the costs to produce it decline, as well. It may also save costs on shipping, as less space is necessary to send these items to their destinations. Many manufacturers, in an effort to attract customers, will subsequently reduce prices on products made from eco-friendly plastic.

Contribute to Better Business

When consumers purchase, businesses listen. Buying eco-friendly plastic products shows that you care about the environment and encourage businesses to continue using these materials in their products. If more people purchase eco-friendly plastics, businesses will likely respond, with more and more recognizing their benefits, making the switch in their own products, and contributing to a better environment.

Using Bento Lunch Boxes

Using Kangovou’s bento lunch boxes can help limit your impact on the environment. These boxes are made of stainless steel and BPA-free plastic lids, which keep your family’s food safe while limiting the amount of plastics used to carry your lunch. Bento lunch boxes have several compartments, making it easy to practice portion control and pack multiple types of food for nutritious lunches. Visit Kangovou.com to purchase bento lunch boxes and learn more about how these containers can help your family more easily pack eco-friendly lunches.