Hennepin County Service Centers

I feel great when I remember to bring my reusable mug to coffee shops. When I forget to bring a reusable bottle, I try to purchase from shops that use compostable products.

Traveling via airports. It is difficult for me to bring reusable water bottles on trips because I tend to pack very minimally in one bag. Because of this I only drink water when at a restaurant or wherever I am staying. I will not allow my inconvenience to justify buying a plastic water bottle.

The benefits of switching to bamboo or wood toothbrushes are preventing more plastics going into a landfill and supporting sustainable alternatives. We have the power to sway business with our purchases. By creating a demand for alternative products companies are forced to change. I think the big challenge in getting others to make this change...

The biggest shift I've seen is cups for cold drinks coming with a spout so that a straw isn't necessary. From McDonalds to Caribou, more companies are making the switch.

We bought large packages of cat litter from PetSmart versus smaller packages from Walgreens out of convenience.

This is pretty easy to do, if you are starting with a product that is not frozen. The challenge is not buying pre-packaged frozen items that come with the wasteful packaging.