Is it possible to live a plastic free life? Yes. Is it easy to live a plastic free life? No, I don’t think it is, and that’s because plastic is in, or comes as packaging on, so many things. However it is achievable to use less plastic and drastically reduce plastic waste in the home.
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How to Use Less Plastic
1. Buy Loose Fruit and Vegetables
If you don’t have a local greengrocer or farmers market then always choose the plastic free option in the supermarket. Of course don’t use the plastic produce bags provided to bag up your loose fruit and vegetables. You can always use the paper bags meant for mushrooms if you haven’t taken your own produce bags or buy yourself some reusable produce bags. I just put the fruit and vegetables loose in my trolley and then use a cloth grocery bag at the till.
2. Always Carry a Cloth Shopping Bag
Supermarkets do sell ‘bags for life’ and although they’re stronger and last longer than the old plastic bags they’re often not recyclable. Get yourself a cloth bag, or make your own out of an old shirt, duvet cover… anything you don’t use anymore.
3. Carry a Reusable Coffee Cup
So many disposable coffee cups are thrown away every single day. The lids often can’t be recycled and the majority of the cups can’t be recycled either because the cardboard is coated in plastic.
4. Use a sustainable lunch box
Great for the kids and will help to stop you buying prepackaged sandwiches and lunches every day during your lunch hour. There are loads of varieties of food containers you can go for, from a sturdy plastic one (go for BPA free) that can be reused or ones made from stainless steel, bamboo, rice husks or even plant based vegan leather which would be even better.
5. Buy tinned soup
I find it very odd that you can buy soup in a bag. So instead of bagged soup or soup in single use plastic containers just make your own or buy tins of soup! This Armenian Soup, or as I call it, apricot soup, is my favourite comfort food.
6. Buy Meat from a local Butchers
Supermarkets often use unrecyclable plastic to display your meat. Butchers don’t display their meat in plastic. Your local butcher is more likely to use locally sourced meat and it’s also more likely to be ethically raised as well. Just ask them. Or take your own containers to the meat counter in supermarkets. (Many of these counters have now closed in supermarkets since the pandemic, so it’s worth finding a good local butcher). Better still, reduce the amount of meat you eat as that’s better for the planet anyway.
7. Go to a bakery for your bread or make your own
Independent bakeries often still sell bread wrapped in paper, or you can ask them to just put it into your own cloth bag. Some supermarkets still have a bakery onsite and it is possible to buy unwrapped loaves from some of them. I’ve started making my own bread – it’s really easy (my first loaf was pretty bad, but they’re getting better and better).
8. Bulk Buy
Find a zero waste refill shop near you but don’t forget to take your own containers so you can fill up on nuts, grains, pulses, oats, rice and dried fruit (as well as much more). You can also bulk buy to reduce the amount of overall packaging you use. Check out The Ethical Superstore and The Vegan Kind Supermarket for ethically sourced food and for some plastic free options.
9. Say no to straws
Always refuse straws when in cafes, bars and restaurants and tell the staff why if you’re feeling righteous (if enough people tell them they don’t want straws, they’ll stop buying them). If you really can’t go without them buy reusable straws.
10. Never buy bottled water again!
Just buy a reusable water bottle and fill it up at home. Some cafes, bars and restaurants might even fill your water bottle for free. More and more water refill stations are popping up.
11. Stop buying cling film
Use reusable food wraps instead of cling film, they’re reusable and biodegradable alternatives to cling film. You can buy beeswax wraps or vegan friendly ones.
12. Buy boxed laundry powder
Buy laundry powder in a cardboard box instead of liquid detergents or better still…
13. Make your own
Making your own laundry detergent, cleaning products, lunches, creams and many other things helps to reduce the amount of overall waste your house produces. You’ll reduce plastic waste quite dramatically by making your own things.
14. Stop chewing gum!
| “Chewing gum has been with us since the Stone Age – chicle gum was made from the sap of the Sapodilla tree. Most modern gums are based on a synthetic equivalent, a rubbery material called polyisobutylene that’s also used in the manufacture of inner tubes”- Science Focus |
15. Swap disposables for reusables
Swap a disposable razor for one where you can just swap the blade instead – check out these safety razors and read why you should buy a safety razor.
16. Choose your takeaways wisely
Only get food deliveries from places that use sustainable packaging or pick up your takeaway yourself and ask them to use the containers you’ve brought with you. This reduces all kinds of waste (styrofoam, plastic and tinfoil containers). Always refuse plastic cutlery.
17. Buy natural clothing
Most clothes have plastic in them so go for hemp, organic (sustainable) cotton, bamboo or wool (as long as it’s ethical). Get out of the habit of fast fashion. You can now even buy eco-friendly underwear (something I struggled to find for ages).
18. Use a handkerchief
Most tissues either come in small packets or boxes with plastic packaging. Using handkerchiefs also reduces your waste.
19. Buy eco-friendly toilet paper
Choose plastic free or recycled toilet paper that comes wrapped in paper – or get yourself a bidet or some reusable wipes!
20. Use lip balm in a tin
Buy lip balm in a tin. I use Trilogy which I bought when I was in New Zealand and it’s still going strong 4 years later, just don’t use vaseline as it’s made from oil, it also might not be as harmless as you thought.
21. Use shampoo bars
Rather than buying shampoo in bottles buy a shampoo bar. They last for absolutely ages and there is no plastic in sight.
22. Ditch the liquid soap
Talking of shampoo bars, replace your liquid soap with a bar of soap as well.
23. Got pets?
Buy tinned food rather than pouches. You can now recycle Lily’s Kitchen cat food pouches with Terracycle though. Read how to have an eco-friendly cat and how to have an eco-friendly dog for more environmentally friendly tips for pets.
24. Support local businesses
Many of the smaller local businesses tend to use less plastic anyway, but always try to support the ones who are committed to reducing their plastic packaging, whether that’s a shop, leisure facility, restaurant or bar. At the very least support zero waste online shops rather than massive corporations like Amazon.
25. Reuse the plastics you already have
There’s no point in just throwing them all away to rid your home of plastic if you can actually make use of something!
For more ideas check out these eco-friendly alternatives to things you use every day or take part in Plastic Free July and get some great ideas for how to use less plastic.
Refuse -> Reduce -> Reuse -> Recycle
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