A single-use plastic item is exactly what it sounds like: a plastic product that is specifically designed to be used once and then thrown away. Every plastic bag used to transport your zucchini at the grocery store is a single-use plastic. Every plastic cutlery wrapper included in your takeout meal is a single-use plastic. Every bottle that falls out of the soda machine in your office is a single-use plastic.

Once thought to be attractive because of their low production costs and convenience to the consumer, it is now clear that such items have been produced in incredible quantities and are being discarded at an alarming rate. Our ecosystem simply cannot keep up.

Mountains of plastic waste are piling up, harming animal and plant life around the world. To get an idea of ​​the magnitude of the plastic pollution problem, consider that 9.1 billion tons of plastic have been produced since the material was first introduced in the 1950s. What’s shocking is that virtually every piece of it ever made still exists in some form (according to the NGO Earth Day ).

It is estimated that the amount of plastic produced each year is equal to the total weight of all the people on earth. This is not sustainable for a healthy planet.

Billions of single-use plastic items are wreaking havoc on our waterways, damaging the quality of our rivers, lakes and oceans and killing the wildlife that call these areas home.

Earth Day estimates that 8 million pieces of plastic pollution enter our oceans every day, on top of the 25 trillion macro- and 51 trillion microplastics that already litter our oceans. There are currently 165 million tons of plastic floating and/or lying around in all marine environments. Roughly speaking, this means that our oceans absorb a garbage truck full of plastic every minute.

Reducing single-use plastic is a core mission at Klean Kanteen, and thankfully, there are plenty of ways to achieve this. The biggest challenge facing humanity is the plastic habit—simply put, we’re used to and dependent on plastic goods because of their ubiquity. But just because it’s what most of us are familiar with, doesn’t mean it’s the only way to live.

There are even plenty of plastic alternatives that can help us reduce plastic pollution and ultimately work towards a plastic-free lifestyle. Major government changes don’t happen overnight, so individuals still need to take action to replace plastic in their daily lives. Here are a few of them.

According to the European Commission's Single-Use Plastics Impact Report, straws rank 7th in the top 10 most commonly found single-use plastics on beaches. The chemicals in these straws make them non-biodegradable. Worse still, they are not recyclable: they will remain on this planet for hundreds of years unless they are incinerated (causing even more air pollution).

Their small size and light weight make them susceptible to widespread distribution in the environment, waterways and other animal habitats. They can break into small pieces that can cause choking or other harm to animals while releasing chemicals into the environment.

Since the end of July 2021, it has been forbidden to sell single-use straws in the European Union. Many restaurants, cafes ... opt for paper straws instead. Although there are of course advantages over plastic straws, because almost everything is better than plastic, there are reasons why paper straws are not really a viable alternative.

For example, they are a lower quality product in terms of use because they quickly become soft when drinking. Hot drinks in particular make the use of paper straws difficult. In addition, although paper straws are more environmentally friendly than plastic because they can break down, they are often coated with wax, which slows down their breakdown. If birds or fish find the straws in this state in the garbage dump, they can still pose a choking hazard.

Steel straws are the solution. You can use them for everything. This way you no longer contribute to the enormous amount of plastic waste that is created by straws. Be careful with hot drinks, our straws can get very hot.

Our straws are made from certified 90 percent recycled 18/8 stainless steel, with flexible silicone tips. They are dishwasher safe and perfect for most drinks and smoothies, and are better than most flexible metal straws (and certainly better than single-use plastic). A one-time investment in hygienic, durable steel straws goes a long way toward reducing plastic waste.

Belgium is one of the countries with the highest bottled water consumption worldwide, with an annual consumption of around 131.7 litres per person. That's a lot of plastic bottles. On #ikdrinkkraanwater you can calculate how much plastic you can save. Plastic bottles are the single-use plastic most commonly found in Europe. The best way to get rid of this plastic waste is to invest in a reusable bottle - and of course it's better if you invest in a bottle that you can use forever.

Replace your plastic bottles with insulated bottles. The right decision for the environment can also be the best way to enjoy your drinks. Plastic bottles are no match for our stainless steel bottles when it comes to keeping your drinks hot or cold without affecting the taste.

Our products come in a huge variety of sizes with mix and match lid options and colors, and we even have options for kids bottles. Klean Kanteen bottles are sustainable, attractive and great for the planet.

80-85% of litter on European beaches consists of plastics, plastic bags play a major role here. They are in 6th place in the top 10 of most found single-use plastics on beaches, according to the European Commission.

Humans produce five trillion plastic bags each year, and each bag can take up to 1,000 years to fully decompose. Single-use plastic bags, like bottles and straws, are a scourge on the environment and are especially dangerous to flying and swimming animals, who can easily get caught in them or suffocate.

Earth Day estimates that by switching to reusable grocery bags, Americans could eliminate the need for 307 plastic bags per person per year, which could have a huge impact. This of course also applies to the EU.

You can replace your plastic bags with compostable bags or even better, reusable shopping bags. These are excellent replacements. Anything that takes single-use plastic out of the equation is better!

For those who might defend plastic bags because they can be reused as food containers, consider that plastic will inevitably retain flavor and odor. Plastic bags will eventually become unusable for your food and end up in the landfill. Instead, we suggest opting for containers from our stainless steel Food Solutions line to replace bags and Tupperware. They’re durable, leak-proof, dishwasher safe, and feature food-grade silicone lids, perfect for storing snacks or meals on the go or leftovers for later. Plus, they stack neatly and stay with you forever. No more plastic waste.

Plastic cups also feature high in the top 10 most commonly found single-use plastics on European beaches. Like plastic straws, cups are light and can travel long distances quickly. They can break into dangerously small pieces, threatening any ecosystem they end up in. But plastic cups are also of very poor quality - they do not insulate temperature well or retain taste and smell, making them poorly reusable.

You can easily replace plastic cups with a sustainable alternative. Whether you’re hosting or attending a party or gathering, it’s a good idea to switch to stainless steel cups and tumblers. They can eliminate the need for plastic cups because of their high quality, wide range of colors and cap combinations, and food-safe steel that’s easily washable and reusable no matter how often you change drinks.