Avoiding Plastic with Eco At Heart

Plastic was first invented in the early 1900’s but only over the last 50 years have plastics saturated our lives and changed the way that we live.  Plastic is inexpensive, easy to use, and versatile which caused it to replace many of the more traditional materials.  But our search for money saving convenience may have come at a high cost.  Not only to our health and well being but to our environment.

Certain chemicals in plastics, like Bisphenol-A (BPA) and phthalates, may have been slowly effecting our health and not in a good way.  BPA is often added to plastics in order to make them more durable and it can leach into the food we ingest and products we use.  BPA is known to disrupt hormones and can mimic the effect of estrogen in the body, leading to weight gain and hormone imbalance among other serious health conditions.  While air, dust, and water are also possible sources of exposure, BPA in food and beverages accounts for the majority of our daily exposure which we have the power to decrease.

Phthalates are added to plastices to make them more flexible and harder to break.  Phthalates are just as risky as BPA and even the CDC (Center for Disease Control) says that some pthalates have affected the reproductive system of laboratory animals.  Researchers found measurable levels in the general population.  They say more research is needed but it continues to be allowed.

Unfortunately simply switching to a BPA free plastic may not be the solution to the problem since this chemical is often just replaced for another one, bisphenol S (BPS).  This chemical may be just as harmful.

Health concerns are not the only reason to limit plastic.  Environmental concerns are a big reason to limit your use of anything plastic.  It would take something like 450-1000 years for a plastic to degrade.  According to Eco Watch,

• Plastic constitutes approximately 90 percent of all trash floating on the ocean’s surface, with 46,000 pieces of plastic per square mile.
• One million sea birds and 100,000 marine mammals are killed annually from plastic in our oceans.
• Virtually every piece of plastic that was ever made still exists in some shape or form (with the exception of the small amount that has been incinerated).

Every little bit helps and you can make small changes that will be better for your health, better for the environment, and save you money in the long run.  Easy changes you can make over time to avoid plastic include switching out your food storage containers, water bottles, and sandwich bags out for something made from glass or stainless steel.  These materials can be used over and over instead of going to a landfill.

One company with a goal to provide products that are kind to you and the environment is Eco At Heart.  This company was started by a group of friends that share a passion for healthy living and the environment, something that I can very much relate to.  In the US alone nearly 500 million straws are used on a daily basis and tossed into the landfill.  Plus with the average straw costing around $0.43 each think of how much money that will save!

Need more reason to love this company…Eco At Heart gives back 5% of profits made from the sales of their stainless steel straws to help clean up our beaches and oceans.

I have used other reusable straws in the past and I can honestly say that these are by far my favorite.  When you are clumsy like I am your glass straws will not last long because you will find a way to break them.  I have been known to drop things.  These Eco At Heart reusable straws are made with high grade stainless steel and you will know as soon as you hold one (they are heavier than any stainless straw I have tried).

I tend to use reusable straws to take smoothies with me on the go.  The dirty straw often sits in my car for hours until I can get home to clean them but Eco At Heart has thought of this too.  These straws are dishwasher safe and come with a handy brush in order to clean the inside of the straws which is brilliant.  These are the only straws that I have tried that have a slightly wider diameter which is super helpful with thick shakes and smoothies.  Other straws leave you making a fish face in order to enjoy your beverage.

I find that increase my water intake when using a straw versus drinking out of glass and I have many clients that would agree.  These straws would make a great gift! Eco At Heart is kicking off the giving season by GIVING AWAY 3 sets of these stainless steel straws over on Instagram.  Simply visit me over on Instagram for the rules and to enter.  Contest will run Friday November 27- Tuesday December 1, 2015 at 11:59pm.  You are not going to want to miss this!

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE