How Can Rideshare Drivers Help Neighborhoods Break Up With Plastic?

Recently, we discussed how to break up with plastic in general. But what if you’re not involved in industrial packaging directly? There are a plethora of ways to approach the issue. Every large goal needs to be broken down into smaller pieces. Here is one tactic we can use to break up with plastic.

As summer approaches, many of us will spend more time outdoors, engaging with our communities. Spring and summer are the seasons of fun, primarily because they’re the warmer times of year for those of us in the northern hemisphere. As we head to our favorite spots to enjoy the weather, we may request a ride through a ridesharing app like Lyft or Uber. The driver will arrive, and because drivers care about their passengers, they are likely to offer us a bottle of water. Rather than tell drivers not to hand out bottles, we can figure out different ways drivers can help out their neighbors differently. This year, we approach another opportunity to leave single-use plastics in the past.

Here are three ways rideshare drivers can help hydrate the community while keeping it clean:

Help passengers with their own bottles by using a coffee thermos for your water.

The world makes a lot of single-use plastic bottles that are not from recycled sources. Because of this, many are interested in using their own bottle but find that the lack of convenience regarding available water makes it too awkward to even use. Whether we like to admit it or not, many of us do not like having to ask for something perceived as extra.

Having an insulated thermos, like the drop coffee containers at cafes, available to customers can allow them to refill their own water bottles with cold water. We all know we should do a lot of things from our chores to budgeting, but we all experience how much our feelings play a role in our behaviors. Doing this will help normalize carrying a bottle around, which we need if we do not want to use single-use plastics. That is, until edible water bottles take over the world.

Switch from plastic to a different type of bottle.

Because of the growing awareness that single-use plastics are not the way of the future, there are brands of bottled water that aim to diminish the use of plastic from edible bottles, to glass, to recycled plastic, to boxed water. As the driver, you have the ability to create an opportunity for passengers to experiment with new tastes in sources of water. The novelty alone will have some passengers trying them out. They are great conversation starters and can result in good ratings and tips. Thank you for helping break our society’s association between potable water and plastic.

Recycle or upcycle the bottles.

Whether or not you provide plastic bottles, some are bound to end up left in your car now and then. Having a container to collect them will make the process of recycling easier for you whether your city takes it, you sell it, or you are just a nice person who goes out of their way to keep trash out of our neighborhoods and environment.

If you are feeling especially creative, you can always make something with the bottles. The more you keep out of the landfill, the more you can do with them.

Using plastic is a habit, largely driven by comfort and familiarity. We can make changes together, and we will be faster if we encourage and help each other implement these changes more easily. As with all things, it is easier said than done, which is why it is crucial we help each other where possible.