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.
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.
1.Eco Laundry Egg
A great way to reduce plastic waste, and to save money at the same time, is to buy an Eco Laundry Egg. These are egg-shaped containers filled with mineral pellets that wash your clothes without the need for detergent or fabric conditioner.
Each one comes with replacement mineral pellets, and lasts up to 720 washes, completely cutting out plastic laundry detergent bottles (and those annoying plastic balls they come with). They are also hugely cost-effective, coming in at around 4p per wash, and don't add harmful chemicals to waste water. We've been telling everyone about ours since getting it, and have been really pleased with the results. And the space its created in our recycling bin!
2.Milk delivery
Whilst this might not be an affordable option for everyone, a milk delivery service that uses refillable glass bottles is a much more environmentally-friendly way to get your daily milk. 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.
3.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 some reusable bags (we love these and a trusty linen tote) so you don't need a plastic 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.
4.Shop smart for meat
Just like fresh groceries, supermarkets wrap their meat produce in lots of plastic. To avoid this, try to buy your meat from a butcher and ask for them to wrap it in paper. 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.
5.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 can easily create your own bath products using a castille soap base and some essential oils. 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.
