Nature Nuggets
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The higher your score, the greater is your Plastic Footprint.
Your Plastic Footprint is:
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1. Which of these do you and your family usually use or drink at home?
- A. Tea bags / coffee capsules
- B. Packaged and read-to-drink tea or coffee beverages
- C. Loose tea leaves / instant coffee powder
Did you know?
Coffee capsules, which hold single servings of coffee powder or brew, and many tea bags are made of plastic. Wouldn’t it be more planet-friendly to skip these and use instant coffee powder or brew loose-leaf tea instead?
2. How often do you use disposable cups, plates, and cutlery?
- A. Several times a week
- B. A few times a month
- C. Rarely
Did you know?
Did you know that the disposable paper alternatives to plastic serve ware are lined with plastic, making them non-compostable and impossible to recycle? Using serve ware made of steel and other materials means they can be reused a lot. Isn’t that better?
3. What kinds of clothes do you wear most of the time?
- A. Wash-and-wear synthetic clothes
- B. Clothes made of denim and blended fabrics
- C. Clothes made from cotton, linen, and other natural fabrics
Did you know?
Popular synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon are made of plastic and shed microplastics with every wash. Denim has a very high water footprint. Stretchable denim and blended fabrics may include synthetic fibres too! Natural fabrics are overall the more sustainable option.
4. Most of the water you drink at home/office/school is
- A. Bottled water
- B. From an installed water purifier
- C. Boiled tap water
Did you know?
Buying drinking water in large plastic cans fuels the production of plastic cans. Microplastics and chemicals can leach from the plastic container into the drinking water too, which is never good news for us! A water purifier that doesn’t waste water, or boiled and filtered tap water might be far more planet-friendly.
5. What do you do for lunch at your school, college, or office?
- A. I buy and eat packaged foods.
- B. I order takeaway from a nearby restaurant.
- C. I bring a packed lunch from home.
Did you know?
Plastic packaging is a major pain! And a lot of it, including takeaway containers, is very difficult to recycle. Why not carry a healthy lunch and snacks from home packed in planet-friendly reusable containers? The Earth—and your body—will thank you!
6. How often do you and your family order food from restaurants and takeaways?
- A. Several times a week
- B. A few times a month
- C. Rarely
Did you know?
A study published in 2021 highlighted that plastic containers and bottles used for takeaway food and drink dominate the litter in the world’s oceans. Having more home-made snacks and meals is better for your health and the Earth’s too!
7. Which of these cosmetic products do you or your family members use most of the time?
- A. Scrubs and washes with microbeads
- B. All-natural bottled products
- C. Home-made face scrubs and packs made with kitchen ingredients
Did you know?
Microbeads are microplastics! They are added to face scrubs and cleaners because of the scrubbing power they contribute. They end up in rivers, lakes, and oceans. You can use kitchen ingredients to make natural and skin-safe scrubs instead!
8. What do you do for drinking water at your school, college, or office?
- A. I carry a refillable plastic bottle.
- B. I keep a refillable glass bottle at my desk.
- C. I fill a cup at the water cooler whenever I need a drink of water.
Did you know?
Using a glass bottle is safer for our health than using a reusable plastic bottle. Glass can also be recycled many more times compared to plastic. Of course, filling a cup every time you want a drink makes sure you use neither, and you can wash and reuse your cup for other beverages too!
9. Which of these kinds of beverages do you usually prefer to drink?
- A. Fruit juices, carbonated drinks, and dairy beverages in Tetrapaks and cans
- B. Freshly made juices, smoothies, and shakes served in disposable cups
- C. Home-made beverages
Did you know?
The cartons and cans in which beverages are sold are lined with plastic! So are disposable paper cups. The plastic prevents the material of the container from reacting with and altering the beverage. Fresh juices and beverages made at home are better for you and better for the planet!
10. From where do you get most of your fruits, vegetables, and other groceries?
- A. From online grocery delivery platforms
- B. From a supermarket in my neighbourhood
- C. From the local vegetable seller or grocery store
Did you know?
Have you ever seen coconuts and bananas wrapped in plastic film and available at supermarkets or delivered through online grocery platforms? Discarded packaging makes up 46 % of plastic waste globally! Much better to grab some reusable carry bags and shop from your nearby vegetable seller or store, don’t you think?
11. How often do you go to stores or shop on online platforms?
- A. Whenever there is a sale or special offer
- B. At the start of every season or school term
- C. When I am sure I need something
Did you know?
Shopping from online platforms comes with a huge carbon footprint as the items have to be transported to you and their often excessive packaging adds to waste and your Plastic Footprint. So, before you click ‘Buy Now’, be sure that you need the item and check if you can buy it at a nearby store instead.
- Did you know—half of all plastic produced every year is designed to be single-use. That could cause an amount of plastic waste that is almost the same as the weight of the entire human population! Let's not add to this ever-growing pile. Here are some creative ways in which you can lower your Plastic Footprint.
- Did you know that discarded plastic bags have been found in the deepest point of the ocean, on the summit of Mount Everest, and at the polar ice caps? Switch to using a reusable carry bag made by upcycling an old t-shirt. If you happen to find yourself at a shop without your carry bag, you can make an instant shopping bag using a scarf or dupatta. At home, replace plastic garbage bags with bin liners made from old newspapers.
- If each person in Asia used a plastic straw on a given day, it would add around 4.5 billion straws to our garbage! Try making colourful paper straws instead to brighten up your beverages. (Make sure to use non-toxic glue and use the paper straw only for cool drinks.)
- Did you know that the dish scrubbers we use in our homes are made of plastic? The fibre from coconut husk can be turned into eco-friendly scrubbers instead!
- If you need small storage containers for everyday items, don't buy plastic ones. Try your hand at weaving storage baskets from newspapers!
- Throwing a party or festive celebration? Go plastic-free! You can recycle worn-out clothes and other fabrics to make reusable bunting. And did you know that the glitter that adds sparkle to celebrations is made of aluminium with plastic? For a dramatic flash of colour, use a hole-puncher to cut out little paper circles from the colourful pages of old magazines.
Individual actions are powerful. While governments, industries, and scientists figure out alternative materials, strategies, and solutions to the global plastic problem, our individual actions help drive change. How are you going to beat plastic pollution? Share your ideas with us on Facebook with #MyPlasticfreeNugget or email us at oneplanetacademy@wwfindia.net.
Common Name: Greater wax moth
Scientific Name: Galleria mellonella
This moth, also called the honeycomb moth, doesn't look particularly spectacular. In fact, it is considered a pest of honeybees as it lays its eggs in bee hives. But the moth's larvae, called wax worms, have an amazing power that could help solve the world's plastic problems—they can eat and break down plastic!
Studies have revealed that wax worms' saliva contains enzymes that can rapidly break down the polyethylene of which plastic bags are made. This discovery could help us develop better ways of recycling plastic and possibly reduce the need for new virgin plastic made from petroleum.
If these humble worms can munch through plastic, we can use the power of sustainable choices to bite a chunk out of the world's plastic problem too!
Have you made the switch from plastic to planet-friendly? Check your Plastic Footprint once more! Click here.
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