Seattle Straw Ban: Join My Recycle, Reduce & Reuse Challenge! by Margaret Steck

My hometown of Seattle became the first U.S. city to ban straws. Rather than being upset over the ban, many Seattleites are asking themselves, "What other types of plastic can I reduce or reuse?" Thanks to a tip from my neighbor, I decided to eliminate one more plastic item from my daily use: shampoo bottles. So instead of buying bottled shampoo, I'm going to try out some different kinds of shampoo bars for my family. Can you think of any plastic items you can reduce or reuse at home? Here are some ideas:

• Try reusable grocery bags.

• Switch to a reusable water bottle.

• Buy a reusable plastic tumbler and reusable straw the next time you grab an iced coffee (you can bring it back again to refill!).

Small changes in our day-to-day routines can reduce the amount of plastic that ultimately ends up in our oceans and threatens marine life.