There are many reasons to avoid plastics. One major reason is bisphenol-A, or BPA, an estrogen-like chemical added to most polycarbonate plastics – from water bottles and food containers to the linings of tin cans, and - most alarmingly - to many baby toys, baby bottles and sippy cups. Research has shown BPA is associated with early puberty in girls, feminizing of boys, and reduced fertility in both sexes. In fact, in utero exposure is linked to abnormal development of the sex organs in the fetus. BPA is also associated with an increased risk for obesity and certain cancers, such as breast and prostate.

Certainly anyone with fertility issues or children should be very concerned. Luckily, it is fairly easy to find bisphenol-A free products now, for children and adults, but is that enough?

Before I became a mom, I led a fairly plastic-free life: I carried my own glass water bottle, brought my own bags to the grocery store, rarely ate out and rarely bought packaged foods, and stored everything in glass or ceramic containers. Now that I’ve got a toddler, however, I seem to be swimming in it; and I can only imagine that, with another little one on the way, it’s going to get worse.

Even if you manage to avoid buying any plastic items for your child, you are sure to be given tons! We are lucky in that most of the things our son has have been handed down from two cousins a year or two older than he. We’ve never had to buy any clothes, and many of his toys are hand-me-downs. However, the toys keep multiplying and – never mind those annoying battery-operated noise-makers - they are overwhelmingly made of plastic!

Besides the fact that plastic can never be truly safe (who knows what other compounds are leaching into the environment and our food), plastics leave a terrible footprint on the environment.

By now, you’ve probably all heard of the big, plastic stew brewing in a vortex in the ocean that is twice the size of Texas – a horrifying visualization and seemingly irreversible prospect; and it is frightening to think that every piece of plastic ever created is still with us. This has many repercussions, to name a few:

• While plastic is not biodegradable, it is photodegradable – sunlight breaks the plastic, still molecularly intact, into little bits which get mistaken for plankton and other food and is ingested by all forms of marine life. This is killing, disabling, and making sick so many of these animals.

• These plastics make it back into the human food chain as well: if you eat seafood, you not only have to worry about mercury, but also contamination from plastic.

• Plastics absorb other toxic substances, such as pesticides and PCB’s and then, transported by the water, leach them elsewhere.

Moreover, recycling plastic is not a viable solution since only a couple types of plastics melt at low temperatures; tougher plastics only melt at high temperatures and release such toxic gases, they are basically un-recyclable. Furthermore, of the recyclable plastics, the quality degrades and the plastics are contaminated with residues (foodstuffs, etc.) so they cannot be remade into food containers. Thus there is still the need for as much new plastic production for food containers.

So, now that you’re convinced it’s not enough to just seek out “safer” forms of plastics, what can we do to reduce the amount of plastic polluting our environment and our bodies? Here is a list of 10 tips to help avoid and reduce your use of plastic:

1. If you must buy bottled water, opt for glass options when available (Voss bottles come in glass in a couple sizes) or try to always come prepared – bring your own bottle of filtered water from home. Sometimes, this just isn’t practical, but consider which has the greater impact: occasionally drinking a glass of tap water or that plastic water bottle….

2. Store produce and leftovers in cloth bags or glass containers.

3. Not only can you bring your own cloth shopping bags, you can also re-use those plastic bags your produce comes in on subsequent shopping trips.

4. Wrap prepared lunches and snacks in wax paper.

5. Bamboo and stainless steel are excellent BPA and plastic-free options for sippy cups, eating utensils, and plates!

6. For gift-giving occasions, like birthdays and Christmas, often friends and relatives ask what you, or especially, your child would like or need. Don’t be afraid to ask for used and hand-me-down items. People will still give you/your child beautifully wrapped boxes of toxic delights – say thanks, gracefully, and accept the lovely thought. If it is not something your child is totally into, consider returning it, or if not, be sure to donate or pass down when the child is done with it!

7. Think long-term. Plastic really can be that miracle product that lasts a lifetime. Try to limit the plastic you get to durable things you will hang on to for a long time.

8. Buy in bulk (bring your own paper bags or re-use those plastic produce ones), and only bag produce when absolutely necessary.

9. If you eat take-out regularly, carry your own cutlery, and for the die-hard, consider bringing your own non-plastic to-go containers!

10. Turn scrap plastic into art projects with the kids! Think of creative ways to re-use plastic – perhaps build a colorful collage or sculpture – or try one of the many suggestions listed here.

Can you think of more ways to reduce our plastic use? Please let me know!