Becoming more green is all the trend now. As many people are becoming more and more aware of their carbon footprint, they are thinking about the impact their actions in terms of recycling has on the environment. This idea has dawned on many different companies too, as plastic bans are all the rage. It is important that these steps are being taken, but is it enough? The New York post recently wrote an article that outlines what you can do to ban plastic from your life. Here are the main points laid out in the piece.

• BYOS (Bring Your Own Straw): If you are one of those people who enjoy using a straw for your drink, then you can bring your own straw when heading out. Amazon, Walmart and Target all sell metal straws in stainless steel or copper, as well as glass straws from from "ultra-durable beaker glass."
  
  
• Use reusable cups for coffee: Many people routinely go out and get coffee on their way or while at work. However, many do not bring their own reusable mug. Forgo using single-use cups and invest in a mug or tumbler. Some outlets even provide a small discount for using your own cup.
  
  
• Bring your own bento box when eating out: Americans through out too much food. When going out, simply bring your own food storage container and limit the restaurant's need to use whatever type of product they have. On top of that, bring your lunch to work in these types of packages. That cuts down on food waste in general. You can even wrap your sandwich in eco-friendly sandwich bags, such as cloth and seared silicone bags.
  
  
• Stop buying plastic bottled water: Americans are drinking an absorbent amount of bottled water, that is wholly unnecessary. Stop buying plastic bottled water and invest in a reusable water bottle that you can refill each day. And even in the home, there is no need to drink bottled water, when convenient and affordable water filters are available.
  
  
• Buy a tote bag: Few things are worse for the environment that a single-use plastic bag. It is beyond wasteful to use a plastic bag of that nature for only one time. Many places have a minor plastic bag tax, but still that's not enough. Make a concerted effort to buy and use reusable tote bags. This can go beyond simply the grocery store. Avoid bringing home any extra bags by investing in multiple eco-friendly tote bags that can be used for years.

These steps can be used to help set a trend and limit plastic waste. There is only so much one person can do, but doing it nonetheless is important. Perhaps others will slowly take notice and change some habits themselves.