August Tips

For the sake of God’s creation, you would take four minutes to watch a video, wouldn’t you? Of course, you would! Watch The Story of Plastic.

Place blame where it belongs. Like cigarette companies, the plastic industry has ignored—even covered up—the damage done by their products and production. They also promoted recycling, telling us disposal is our responsibility. We can’t recycle our way out of the continuing harm. Contact your local, state, and federal lawmakers to support efforts to ban single-use plastics and/or return the responsibility to the manufacturers.

Chip away at the plastic habit. Switch from plastic to beeswax food wraps, bamboo toothbrushes, shampoo and conditioner bars, metal or wooden utensils; cloth reusable bags; wooden cutting boards.

Go for natural packaging for foods—potatoes, corn, cucumbers, zucchini, for example—none of which need to be wrapped in plastic, which only goes to the landfill.

Your body was not meant to eat plastic in any form. Store and microwave your food in glass or ceramic—not plastic, which sheds microplastics for you to unknowingly consume. Take care of your health.

Avoid liquid-filled plastic bottles to reduce emissions, which come from transporting both the bottles’ number and weight. Instead, purchase tablets for laundry, dishwashing, and other cleaning products. Blueland and Dropps are two sources. Browse for others and read the “About” for their “greenness.”

Buying new clothes? Read the labels first. Polyester is basically plastic. Manufacturing the fabric requires 70 million barrels of oil annually and releases toxins into the air. Wastewater from washing polyester adds microfibers to waterways harming marine life and those of us who like fish dinners.

For beverages, choose aluminum cans or real mugs over plastic bottles or throw-away cups. Plastic does not recycle well—just 4–9% and then only once. Aluminum doesn’t shed microcontaminants as does plastic, and aluminum can be recycled repeatedly. Use a mug for coffee and other hot beverages and avoid drinking microplastics and throwing away a cup.

Take your money and go fossil free. If your investments are supporting fossil fuels, which create plastics as well as green house gases, divest. Talk with your financial planner, scrutinize your funds, find out if your insurance company, bank, place of employment, or even your church is “under the influence.”  To find alternatives, search for “green investing.”

Two resolutions passed at General Conference in 2024 remind us as United Methodists that we have a role to play in sustainability: 1) Reduce use of plastic, especially single-use plastic, at annual conferences and 2) choose a venue that supports sustainable practices, such as recycling. Apply those goals to your home and your church.

Thank you and God Bless

Visit the United Methodist Creation Justice website here.