91.5 Chapel Hill 88.9 Manteo 90.9 Rocky Mount 91.1 Welcome 91.9 Fayetteville 90.5 Buxton 94.1 Lumberton 99.9 Southern Pines 89.9 Chadbourn

22 tips for 2022: To cut back on plastic, you need to audit how much you use

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

The first step in cutting back on plastic is understanding what you're using and how much of it.

Do an audit of the plastics in your home to get a sense of how much plastic you use. Then use that information to help you make targeted plans to reduce your plastic use.

"Tally up the different types of plastic packaging used, and go through the trash as well," says environmental activist Shilpi Chhotray.

She notes that you're likely to find a lot of plastic in the kitchen and the bathroom.

Once you have a better understanding of your plastic consumption, you can do your research on what can actually be recycled and what potential sustainable swaps you can make.


Here's more on how to reduce your plastic and make sustainable swaps.

22 tips for 2022 is edited and curated by Dalia Mortada, Arielle Retting, Janet W. Lee, Beck Harlan, Beth Donovan and Meghan Keane. This tip is based on an episode reported by Rebecca Davis and produced by Audrey Nguyen.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
More Stories
  1. Bearing witness, celebrating strength: How poetry has changed lives for NPR's audience
  2. Katie Ledecky tells NPR about her plans for the Paris Olympics — and L.A. in 2028
  3. Hope Hicks, former Trump confidant, testifies against him in New York criminal trial
  4. Siblings can share the darndest quirks — like picking up coins & keys with their toes
  5. How do you help patients who show up in the ER 100 times a year?