Celebrate Earth Day: Simple Modern is Committed to Reducing Single-Use Plastic

Reducing reliance on single‑use plastics is one of the most effective ways to help protect the planet. At Simple Modern, we’re committed to providing high‑quality, stylish alternatives to throwaway plastics — helping you stay hydrated, caffeinated and on the go without the environmental cost of plastic waste.

To celebrate Earth Day, here’s a Q&A that helps explain not only why we need to reduce single-use plastic use but also how you can make an impact in your own life. 

How much single-use plastics are we using?
Every minute, the equivalent of one garbage truck of plastic is dumped into our oceans. More than 500 billion plastic cups and 16 billion plastic bottles are used globally each year — most of which end up in landfills or waterways.

What is the environmental impact of all that single-use plastic?
Plastic can take hundreds of years to decompose. As it breaks down, it can fragment into microplastics that infiltrate soil, waterways and even the air we breathe. 

Does switching to refillable, reusable drinkware really help? Switching to a Simple Modern 40-ounce Trek, for example, replaces 2.5 single-use plastic bottles. During the course of a year, based on personal hydration habits, switching to reusable drinkware could remove anywhere from 912 to 2,700 single-use plastics from the environment. 

How can you make the switch away from single-use plastics and towards reusable products?
Start Small: Stop tossing your daily coffee cup, switching to something like the Voyager 360. Then, add in a water bottle throughout the day.
Keep It Handy: Start taking your tumbler with you wherever you go – the car, the office, after-school practices. If you have a drink with you, you’ll be less tempted to find single-use alternatives when you are on the go.
Add up the cost savings: Keep track of how less often you are tempted to drive through or grab a quick, convenient drink when you are out and about. With hydration always with you, you won’t just be helping the environment, you’ll be saving your pocketbook too.
Think outside drinkware: Replace plastic sacks with insulated lunchboxes or single-use bottled water or sports drinks for sports practices and games with one-time purchased water bottles for the whole team one time.