In the meantime, we can try to re-use, when practical. If you have a cat, don't buy bags for the litter box. Re-use the grocery bags you get when you go grocery shopping.
If you prefer spring water, and like carrying water around with you, then buy the bigger 1-gallon or even 2.5-gallon jugs, and refill a re-useable drink cup instead of buying a case of 24 1/2-liter bottles every month.
Paper bags can be used when you're weeding the garden, all those take-home bags you get from Taco Bell, Burger King, Culver's etc are great for that.
Buy the biggest bottle of cleaner, laundry detergent, paper towels, TP, sponges, as you possibly can. Why? Less packaging waste. You can buy big half-gallon bottles of liquid hand soap, and refill a pretty soap pump for your bathrooms instead of buying a new pump container every time you run low.
Protest the companies that create extra waste, by buying whatever soaps use the least amount of packaging. I know some have a bar wrapped in paper or plastic, and THAT put into a cardboard box. For why? Because it looks good, and they pretend it justifies the higher cost for the consumer. In fact - you could buy from a local soapmaker - you pay more per ounce, but you get hardly any packaging at all, your choice of scents, and a much more interesting-looking bar for your bathroom, while supporting a local cottage industry all at the same time.
These are all little things that won't make all that much of a dent in saving the planet. But if everyone did it, it'd be a pretty nice sized dent.
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