Investing in items that replace disposables and plastic products may seem like a huge commitment and a hassle.
To encourage individuals to make the switch, a meta-search website that compares and catalogs prices of products shows not only the waste reduced per year but also how much money a person can save by opting for eco-friendly alternatives.
Using its price-comparison platform, the iPrice Group collated the average price of each product (both disposable and eco-friendly) in 2020. According to its data, an average woman can save up to P4,603 a year, while an average man can save up to P2,542 a year if they completely invest in reusable products.
Item: Reusable masks
Savings: P1,221/year
Waste reduced: 365 disposable masks/year
Masks don’t come in cheap, especially the good quality 3-plies. Based on iPrice’s platform, the average price of 365 disposable masks (assuming a person uses one mask a day) would cost about P1,631, while investing in a pack of washable, reusable masks would only cost P411.
Item: Menstrual cup
Savings: P2,061/year
Waste reduced: 240 menstrual pads/year
The average price of a menstrual cup is about P772, which is said to last years or even up to a decade. On the other hand, if a woman uses 20 menstrual pads per cycle, she would go through about 240 pads a year and spend P2,833.
Item: Tote bag
Savings: P769/year
Waste reduced: 1,404 plastic bags/year
According to a report, a single person in Navotas City is estimated to use 27 plastic labo bags a week. Using this estimate, an individual would waste about 1,404 plastic bags a year worth P1,652. Meanwhile, investing in a tote bag would only cost about P883.
Item: Metal straw
Savings: P453/year
Waste reduced: 365 disposable straws/year
If a person uses one plastic straw a day, a year’s worth would cost about P712. Investing in a reusable metal straw would cost P259, P453 less than 365 plastic straws. This could also be a cost and waste-reducer for restaurant owners.
Item: Metal chopsticks
Savings: P100/year
Waste reduced: 100 disposable chopsticks/year
If an average Filipino uses 100 pieces of chopsticks a year (half of how much a Chinese uses), it would cost them about P302, while investing in metal chopsticks would only cost P202. Since not everyone necessarily purchases their own disposable chopsticks, this figure could also be an indicator for restaurant owners to go greener as well.