Even if the use of plastic was stopped completely today, as a species we would be left with a huge clean-up job. The further we get into these stages, the more difficult it is to find alternatives. Plastic is so prevalent in our society that it's almost impossible to find certain items that do not contain a certain amount of it. But many alternatives do exist - and for those things that don't have alternatives, we must demand them from manufacturers.

It's not only plastic that is the problem, it's the volume of STUFF that we use - and often waste - on a daily basis. Whenever you make a purchase, ask yourself the questions, 'Do I really need this?' and 'Is this the best thing for the planet and myself, or is there something more earth-friendly that I could use?'

Suggested alternatives:

• PLASTIC CONTAINERS FOR CLEANING PRODUCTS: Many, many of our products come in plastic bottles, and cleaning products are no exception. We are fighting two battles with this one, as many cleaning products are, in themselves, extremely toxic to us and our environment. Consider making your own cleaning products - it's not hard, and you will find that many alternatives work very well. If you use pure essential oils to spice up your natural cleaning products, the experience of cleaning can actually be a pleasant one! Some great natural cleaning recipes are posted here (and they work!) If you're not into making your own cleaners, here are some companies that produce natural cleaning products, and often use biodegradable plastic, or recycled materials in their packaging: Ecover, Seventh Generation
  
  
• PLASTIC CONTAINERS FOR BEAUTY OR HYGIENE PRODUCTS: Beauty and hygiene products also normally come housed in plastic packaging, and once again, there is more than one issue here - many beauty products contain harmful chemicals and/or are tested cruelly on animals. But there are alternatives here too. You can make your own, or look to the following companies for alternatives: Kiss my Face, Alba, Jason, Toms of Maine (toothpaste in aluminum tubes), Burt's Bees
  
  
• For Powell Riverites, some alternative options include: Beyond Bliss carries Aveda, a line of hair products for which they can provide refills - read more about Aveda products here: http://aveda.aveda.com/aboutaveda/index.asp
  
  
• Soapworks is another local company that makes soap that is wrapped in paper instead of plastic
  
  
• DISPOSABLE DIAPERS: Disposable diapers are certainly more convenient than cloth alternatives, but they are a huge source of garbage, and plastic diapers take many years to break down. The Canadian Reuseable Diaper Association has some great information about disposable diapers and suggested alternatives and treehugger.com and ecobumz.com are a couple of places where you can get reuseable, organic products.
  
  
• DISPOSABLE SANITARY NAPKINS: If you think about the number of plastic sanitary napkins that go into our garbage dumps and add to the trashpile that is taking over our planet, it is distressing, to say the least. For centuries women survived without plastic-y sanitary napkins - and they were the healthier for it. There are several companies who make alternatives that are healthier for you and the planet, and more comfortable too. Check out Many Moons Alternatives or if you're really ambitious, Tiny Birds Organics gives you detailed instructions on how to make your own! There are, of course, also disposable sanitary napkins made from biodegradable materials for the more squeamish among us.