Let’s Reduce Plastic Waste to Make Earth Healthy!    [06-05-2011] Last week, we learned that plastics are bad for our environment. Plastics don’t break down easily and recycling them costs a lot of money and time. Therefore, we should reduce plastic waste to protect the Earth, even if plastics make our lives more convenient. You should be very careful and thoughtful when throwing away plastics. This week, let’s learn how to reduce plastic waste wisely to help improve our environment. You can reduce plastic waste by becoming an environmentally-friendly shopper. Whenever you go shopping with your family, always remember to bring your own cloth bags. Plastic bags create many environmental problems all over the world. Using reusable cloth bags is a great to protect our environment. Do not buy packaged foods in plastic. Do not buy beverages bottles in plastic, either. Instead, buy foods packaged in glass jars or paper cartons. It is also a good idea to carry your own reusable stainless steel or ceramic beverage container when going out. Tell your parents not to get to-go coffee because the disposable plastic lids won’t break down for over 100 years! Tell them to bring their own steel tumblers to the coffee shop instead. When going to the restaurant, bring glass or steel containers to package leftovers. When ordering drinks, say “no straw please!” to the waiter or waitress because straws are also made out of plastic. There are many ways to reduce plastics at home, too. For example, do not use plastic containers or plastic bags to store foods in the fridge. Store all your food in glass containers and use glass cups when drinking water, juice, or milk - it is actually better for your health, too. Also, stop using hair sprays, deodorants, and air fresheners because their containers are usually made out of plastic. For parties, use silverware or glassware instead of plastic. Use rechargeable batteries to reduce buying batteries packaged in plastic.     출처: 어린이 영자신문 키즈타임즈 (www.kidstimes.net)