Making the Journey to a Plastic-Free Life

The environmental movement’s fight against plastic goes back decades. It has fueled everything from the push to curbside recycling in the 1970s, to the straw bans of the 2010s, to documentaries highlighting how much of the plastic water bottle industry is a scam, and much more.

I joined the anti-plastic movement around 2015. It started simply: I asked for paper bags instead of plastic at the grocery store. Soon after, I started carrying a reusable Nalgene water bottle. I learned about the zero-waste movement and began purchasing sustainable alternatives for everything from ear swabs and menstrual products to straws. I bought from bulk stores with my own cotton cinch bags to avoid plastic packaging. It became a daily puzzle to figure out and, at the time, an exciting challenge.

Ten years later, some of those changes stuck while others didn’t. After the isolation period of the covid-19 pandemic, I had to give up some of my habits. Eating inside a restaurant became risky. Bulk stores, with their barrels of rice and candies and oats, felt like a playground for contamination. So, I gave up on these habits—and after a year and a half, it was hard to pick them up again. The zero-waste ideology became less of a brain game and more of a burden.

Yet the plastic industry manufactured and manufactured and manufactured, regardless of my motivation. Microplastics—tiny plastic pieces sometimes the width of a human hair—entered public health and environmental conversations. Research studies discussed the prevalence of microplastics in everything. Water, soil, air, and even human bodies. And knowing that plastic can contain BPA, PFAS, and other under-researched chemicals, I could not help but be reminded of the mesothelioma commercials from the early aughts…

“If you or a loved one was diagnosed with mesothelioma you may be entitled to financial compensation.”
Mesothelioma is a fast-growing and deadly cancer that results from asbestos exposure. Asbestos was a popular insulation material because of its nonflammable properties until its toxicity was made known in the 1970s.

Recent studies have shown that people under 50 are contracting cancers of the digestive tract more frequently and earlier than previous generations. Microplastics have been found in human placentas, colons, and the blood brain barrier. And while studies haven’t found definitive evidence that microplastics are carcinogenic, the correlation of increased cancer rates to the abundance of microplastics is one that gives me pause.

Just to be safe, I am now on a journey of eliminating microplastics from my life.

Unlike plastic packaging, microplastics are harder to sniff out and harder still to eliminate. But there are some golden rules: if something is made from plastic—whether that be soft, crunchy plastic packaging or hard, durable plastic—it probably sheds microplastics.

This rule has been enough to get started. I began in the area that felt most concerning: the kitchen. This is where I heat up plastic (spatulas and containers) and store things that go into my body (water bottles and utensils).

I swapped my plastic reusable water bottle for an insulated stainless steel one (which is vastly superior in keeping my drinks cold, too). I purchased glass Pyrex containers to store my leftovers. I acquired wood and silicone cooking utensils. I switched out my plastic scrub brush with a bamboo one and my plastic cutting board for a wood one.

The other major culprit of microplastics in our homes lies in our closets. Clothing made from polyester, acrylic, viscose, nylon, elastane—anything synthetic or a synthetic blend, really—are guilty of shedding microplastics every time they are agitated in the wash. I’ve made it my mission to acquire new clothing made from natural materials such as cotton, bamboo, silk, leather, and hemp. And if that’s not available, I shop at thrift stores so that I don’t spend my money in support of new, synthetic fashion. One day, I hope to install a microfiber filter in my washing machine to keep any microplastics from escaping to the wastewater streams—until then, I try to hand wash or gentle cycle my synthetic clothing, which releases less microplastics.

These individual steps give me a sense of control over my realm. And it didn’t start overnight—I began acquiring slowly to fit my budget. You can start here, too, by visiting the different rooms in your home to determine where you can eliminate or reduce plastic usage. And instead of buying items wrapped in plastic or made with plastic at the store, try choosing items that are naked or in cloth or paper wrapping.
When grocery shopping, I like to follow an 80/20 rule: I try to purchase 80% of my produce and groceries naked or without plastic. The 20% I do allow myself to purchase wrapped in plastic—such as toilet paper or frozen foods—leaves room for flexibility so that I can still get what I need. After all, I don’t have control over how the things I need are packaged and I refuse to be shamed by that. This kind of economic activism—conscious consumerism—puts power in my hands.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop the plastics industry from churning out more and more. What is necessary for large-scale permanent change is policy.

Policy change starts locally. Talking with neighbors, friends, and family about the issue of microplastics creates the necessary awareness to grow community action. In Colorado, my home state, 100% of Colorado water bodies tested positive for microplastics. In 2022, the Colorado Plastic Pollution Reduction Act went into effect, banning Styrofoam food containers and plastic bags in food establishments and grocery stores. The legislation was a huge win for our state and was made possible with the collective support of advocacy groups and individuals talking to their representatives about plastic and microplastic concerns.

This can be possible in your state, too, simply by increasing awareness amongst your peers and talking to your representatives about the environmental and health concerns of microplastics. It can start as small as your city and county elected officials, who are responsible for recycling and waste management programs in your neighborhood.

Creating regulations to reduce plastic at the top of the production chain—and thus keeping plastic producing companies accountable to their waste—is a job for Congress. In 2024, the Biden administration released a strategy to reduce plastic pollution. Various bills have been proposed in the House and the Senate regarding the reduction of plastic pollution and plastic toxicity, but Congress, backed by the Trump administration, has halted a lot of legislation that would work to remedy these issues. It is as important as ever for individuals like you and me to keep the pressure on our representatives to continue supporting new and existing legislation, including landmark legislation like the Clean Water Act and PFAS standards in drinking water. You can find your Congressional representatives’ contact information online or by calling the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and asking for your representative by name. There is also an app called 5 Calls which helps you stay on top of changes in legislative priorities and make calls.

There is a long way to go. Every action and voice counts.