5 Easy Ways to Reduce Plastic in Your Home
Many of us have been stirred by the climate change demonstrations, documentaries and general sense that we're running out of time. It can feel overwhelming and hard to know where to start reducing our household's carbon footprint and waste. But there are simple ways we can make a difference, and if we all make changes then bigger changes will start to happen.
Photo: epSos.de / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
One particularly obvious way we can reduce waste and prevent oceans being clogged with rubbish is to cut back on plastic. Here are 5 achievable, easy ways to reduce the amount of plastic you use at home.
Try refillable laundry options
Start by choosing laundry products with refillable packaging or concentrated formats, and use the amount recommended for your machine and load. A longer-lasting container may reduce the number of single-use bottles you bring home.
Compare the total packaging, performance and cost of a refill option before changing your routine. No one laundry product makes washing entirely plastic-free or guarantees lower environmental impact.
Milk delivery
Whilst this might not be an affordable option for everyone, a milk delivery service that uses refillable glass bottles is one way to reduce single-use bottles if the glass is collected and reused. In our family we get through a huge amount of milk, but have decided to cut back on cereal-eating and milk drinks, and go for a delivery service instead. Consuming less but buying better seems a good and affordable way forward.
Buy vegetables from markets and farm shops
It's astonishing how much plastic wrapping you find in the supermarket vegetable and fruit isles. Much of it is unnecessary, but until the big stores find sustainable alternatives try to buy your fresh groceries from market stalls and farm shops. Again, this can be more costly, but it you plan your meals ahead and only buy what you need you can cut out food waste and buy tastier, fresher produce. Take a reusable shopping bag or a linen tote so you do not need a new carrier bag.
Even better, grow your own fruit and vegetables! A small balcony is great for growing tomatoes or herbs, and you can create a productive veg patch on just a small area of garden or allotment land.
Shop smart for meat
Just like fresh groceries, supermarkets wrap their meat produce in lots of plastic. If your butcher offers less packaging, ask what is suitable for the food and how the packaging should be disposed of locally. Again, good meat costs more, but in our family we have decided to eat less meat and just buy better quality, free-range, grass-fed meat instead twice a week instead.
Simplify your bathroom toiletries
If, like us, you have toiletries cluttering up your bathroom shelves, a bit of clever thinking can not only reduce plastic, it can create a clearer, more tranquil bathroom space too. Many places offer a refill service for shampoo and conditioner products, and you may be able to choose refillable or lower-packaging toiletries that suit your skin and local refill options. Use glass or aluminium bottles and linen baskets for storage.
Instead of buying expensive facial cleansers and make-up removers, try coconut oil instead. This comes in glass jars and lasts for ages, and is a really lovely way to clean your skin. Just smooth a little over your face, gently working into your eyelashes to remove mascara, then remove with a washable cotton pad. Your skin will feel gorgeously silky and clean, and if you have dry skin you might find you need less moisturiser afterwards. Retailers like Lush are creating fabulous eco-friendly bath and cosmetic products, so shop around next time you need some new shower gel or toothpaste and see if you can cut out plastic in your bathroom altogether.
Do you have any tips for reducing plastic in the home? We'd love to hear your ideas in the comments below.
For more on sustainable living go natural spring-cleaning ideas and reusable tea-towel ideas.
