Plastic is the worst of worsts when it comes to environmental sustainability. Over the past few years, the adverse effects of improper plastic disposal have surfaced across the globe. While we are far from plastic-free environments, people opt for suitable alternatives to plastic in almost every domain. If you ask yourself, should I replace plastic containers with glass ones, we may have the perfect answer to your question.
Many households opt for plastic containers to store food. You can find a good variety of plastic storage containers in the market. While this may be correct, it can lead to severe problems in the long run. On the contrary, glass containers are eco-friendly to use for storage.
Here are a few crucial reasons why you should replace plastic containers with glass ones.
Reasons to Choose Glass Over Plastic
Glass containers can replace the use of plastic containers in households. Many people opt for plastic containers to avoid the risk of breaking glass. However, glass containers can save you from health and environmental challenges.
Good Health
Most households buy plastic containers to store food. You may find at least a few plastic jars in every kitchen you visit. The immense popularity of plastic jars is due to their wide variety and break-free properties. While plastic containers have a few benefits, they can lead to many problems.
Plastic bottles, containers, and other storage boxes contain polycarbonate plastics. Such plastics have bioactive chemicals, including Bisphenol A (BPA) and Phthalates. These chemicals can enter the food on microwaving or hot serving, increasing the chances of heart disease. Moreover, BPA also leads to infertility, poor brain function, and endocrine problems.
Viable Nature
Plastic containers can affect everything from food taste to organ health. Storing food in plastic jars under different temperatures can adversely affect the stored items. On the flip side, if you choose glass containers for food storage, you can let go of such worries. You can use them to store eatables, cook meals, heat liquids, freeze desserts, and microwave food.
Glass has favorable properties that offer a sustainable storage experience. You can preserve your food without having to worry about chemical infusion. Glass jars also keep the taste of your food unaffected.
Environmental Sustainability
Plastic may be a good fit for your home, but it may not suit your environment. Plastics are generally hard to decompose. Removing a single piece of plastic from the environment can take many years. Moreover, poor disposal of plastic containers can harm land animals, sea animals, and birds.
If you opt for glass containers, you can contribute to a sustainable environment. The eco-friendly nature of glass allows it to decompose sooner. You can also recycle glass to manufacture paper and other items. More importantly, glass does not release harmful chemicals into the environment, causing health problems in a specific area.
Versatility
Plastic containers may be great for storing a few specific items but not for everything. The flexible properties of plastics make them softer on exposure to heat. The molecules undergo expansion due to high temperatures. They may lose their shape if you store a hot liquid or food in plastic jars.
Opting for glass jars can save you from this trouble. You can use them to store hot and cold food items, including dry spices and liquids. Glass has a sustainable structure under varying external temperatures. Moreover, you can wash glass containers to eliminate any stains or odors.
Aesthetic Benefits
Unlike plastic boxes, glass containers allow you the maximum creative freedom to design them. Although you can find a wide variety of both in the market, glass containers are more design-friendly. You can find them in unique colors, textures, and painted forms. If you like to try DIY experiments, you may be surprised by the aesthetic nature of glass.
Plastic containers may provide you with limited creative freedom. Due to its chemical properties, you may be unable to experiment with many design variations on your plastic jar. More importantly, buying a colored plastic jar may change its color over the years.
Summing Up
Plastics are among the most significant causes of environmental pollution around the world. The poor disposal of plastic wastes leads to several serious problems that affect human health. While many countries are reforming their consumption methods to minimize the use of plastics, it is vital to promote suitable replacements.
You can contribute your cent to an eco-friendly environment using glass bowls, containers, and jars. If you want to explore some of the many glass container designs, you can look them up online to find a unique variety. If you like personalization, you can search for DIY glass pot designs to get new ideas.
