When people hear the phrase “make that paper” they typically think of the green kind. In this episode of TWT, however, we mean that phrase quite literally… though we suppose it’s also green in more ways than one. Tamara spends this episode visiting Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) in Indonesia to learn about how they harvest and create paper and paper products. She learns about how they make their operation sustainable, how they grow their plantlets in labs, and the safety measures they take to prevent forest fires. She even gets the inside scoop on their Foopak project, which is a series of packaging designs made entirely of compostable paper. It could do wonders for the environment if we started switching over to similar eco-friendly alternatives to plastic products. If you’re wondering how you can do your part, here are some common items you can easily switch out to be more environmentally friendly:

Carry around an eco-friendly straw

You may have started to notice that more and more restaurants have opted to switch to paper straws rather than more harmful plastic ones. If you’re not a huge fan of the paper alternative or just want to keep your environmental impact to the absolute minimum, there are several options you could go with for a green alternative. Bamboo straws are a good option that is both reusable and biodegradable or you could go for a sturdy stainless steel option that will likely last until you lose it. It may seem like a pain to have to carry them around, but think of how much ocean life you’ll be saving by just making a tiny bit more room in your bag or pocket.

Reusable Grocery Bags

As you can probably tell, if you want to help the environment you should be avoiding plastic like the plague. According to Business Insider, each year we use an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags. Rather than opt for the grocery store’s plastic bags, get yourself a set of reusable grocery bags. Not only are they much sturdier than their plastic alternatives (which require a double-bag now and again), but they’re also much better for mother Earth.

Glass Meal Containers

We know it can feel impossible to avoid plastic when it comes to certain things like food containers, but there are actually glass alternatives to traditional plastic containers. Are they more expensive than the more common plastic containers? Of course. But for just a few bucks more you get a non-toxic and more long-lasting alternative that you can store your food in..guilt-free!

Reusable Water Bottles

Did you know that 91% of water bottles we use every year end up in a landfill? And, according to Forbes, we use roughly one million water bottles per minute. We’re not going to even attempt that depressing math problem we laid out there, but luckily you can make a difference in that number by getting yourself a durable reusable water bottle. There are several amazing options on the market and, unlike plastic bottles, many of them are designed to keep your water chilled, allowing you to feel extra cool about all the animals you’re saving.