Swapping products that come in plastic packaging may sound daunting but it’s easier than you think. There are also probably far more items of plastic in your home than you realise.
Most people are aware of the need to cut down on use of plastic bottles and reusable water bottles and coffee cups have increased in popularity in recent years. Not only does taking your own water bottle contribute to plastic reduction it also saves you money, win win! What other products in your home could you swap to reduce plastic use? Here are my favourite swaps:
Toiletries
Shower gel, shampoo and conditioners generally are produced in plastic bottles but there are a multitude of alternatives. You could use shower or shampoo blocks which are bars of soap formulated for each purpose. You can also buy liquid products that come in glass bottles from brands such as ‘Moo & Yoo’ or ‘Bain & Savon’. There are so many options for personal hygiene, toothbrushes, make-up, plasters, deodorant, moisturisers and so many more products that can be plastic free that I would be here all day if I listed everything. The online shop www.peacewiththewild.co.uk is a fantastic place to buy many of these products and more besides.
Stationery
Sticky Tape is something most people probably don’t think of when asked to list plastics, but this is any easy swap. Paper tape is not only just as useful, but you can also tear it so no need for scissors if you’re in a rush! Buying a pack of biros may seem like the only option for new pens however you could opt for plastic free or recycled plastic pens which are available from brands like ‘A Good Company’.
Cleaning Products
The main ingredient of most cleaning products is water, so it makes sense to just buy the key ingredients and add the water yourself. Not only does this reduce the plastic waste, it also reduces the environmental impact of transport costs as well as you having to carry home those heavy bottles of detergent. There are lots of brands who offer fully plastic free options that you just add to water in your own reusable bottle. ‘Iron and Velvet’ and ‘Ocean Saver’ are two brands I love, they make products for cleaning all around the home and are non-toxic as well as being plastic free. Liquid laundry detergent can be switched for laundry sheets which are entirely free of plastic and take up much less room in the cupboard, ‘re:gn’ and ‘Tru-Earth’ are my favourites.
Technology
It can be hard to think how you can reduce plastics when buying new technology, to my knowledge they’ve yet to produce a wooden i-phone. However you can reduce your impact on the environment by not only recycling your old tech responsibly by sending it to somewhere like www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk. You might also consider purchasing your new tech from somewhere the sells refurbished or pre-owned products like ‘CEX’, my last two mobile phones have come from them, I’ve also previously purchased refurbished speakers and a games console. Not only am I contributing to plastic production by preventing products going to landfill, it’s less expensive too.
Food
It can feel really challenging to avoid plastics when at the supermarket and not everyone is able to make use of local refill shops. So, what can you do to reduce plastic use when shopping for your weekly groceries? The first is pretty common – take your own bags and re-use them. Simple first step, the second is to pick all fruit and vegetables loose. There is no need to put them in a plastic bag, if you really don’t like having all your veg mixed in together you could re-use an old plastic bag or purchase a veg bag to take with you.
Another thing you can do at the supermarket is to look for brands that have reduced their packaging, by buying the products that don’t have a plastic window showing the food or have switched to a glass bottle instead of plastic you are encouraging other brands to make similar changes to their own products. You can also reduce the amount of plastic you are using by considering the size of the product. For example, squash usually comes in 1litre bottles, which is about 20 servings, but you could instead buy a high concentrate 66ml bottle which has the same number of servings but uses much less plastic. Sometimes larger products may use less plastic than the smaller one, such as a multipack of mini biscuits which are individually wrapped inside the main packaging compared to the standard product which only has the outer wrapping.
When it comes to reducing plastic use it can feel impossible but in reality, making small change. No one can do everything but we can all do something.
How can I find out more?
Action Hampshire is committed to sustainability and part of our National Lottery EDI project is focussed on this.
Follow this link to read more Plastic Free July tips
