30 Really Easy Ways To Reduce Plastic Waste

Plastic is a big problem for the environment. It ends up in landfills and it’s regularly eaten by numerous marine and land animals, to fatal consequences. It does not biodegrade. Ever. It just sits and accumulates in landfills and in the oceans forever.
It might be difficult to stop using plastic from one day to the other, but little by little it is possible. You don’t have to do them all every day, but every little effort makes a difference. Here are my tips:

1. Use cotton swabs made from paper.
2. Use a menstrual cup or reusable cloth menstrual pads. Instead of disposable tampons and pads.
3. Use a safety razor instead of disposable razors. This is a little investment (around €30) but it will last a long time.
4. Use soap bars for your body and hair that is sold without packaging. The shop Lush is a great place to get all your beauty goodies package-free. Even shower gel!
5. Use body scrubs made from natural ingredients. Some scrubs are made with tiny synthetic particles called microbeads.
6. Use make-up products that come in sustainable packagings. For example check the brand Lush or Boho.
7. Use cloth cleansing pads instead of the disposable pads made from cotton.
8. Use a bamboo toothbrush.
9. Brush your teeth with toothy tabs instead of regular pasta from a tube.
10. Use a deodorant that comes in a carton package.
11. Wrap your food in beeswax instead of plastic food wrap.
12. Use matches instead of disposable plastic lighters. Or invest in a refillable metal lighter.
13. Pack your lunch in reusable containers or invest in a set of metal Tupperware.
14. Make your own cleaning products. I clean a lot with vinegar, baking soda, and lemon.
15. Use a soap bar to wash the dishes instead of liquid soap.
16. Buy cleaning brushes from metal and natural fibers.
17. Avoid getting a receipt as much as possible. Some receipts are coated in a thin layer of plastic that makes them unrecyclable.
18. Use reusable cotton bags when you do the groceries. Make sure you always have a bag with you.
19. Don’t use plastic bags for your fruits out of the supermarket. Pack them loose in your shopping car.
20. Pack loose vegetables like green beans, tomatoes or champignons in paper bags. Most of the supermarkets have them. But, more ideally it would be if you bring your own veggie cotton bag.
21. Buy pasta, rice and some other dry foods in a carton box instead of a plastic package. Or buy them in a bulk store and bring your own containers.
22. If you commute to go to work or school and can’t function without coffee, get a reusable coffee cup and use it.
23. Get a glass or a stainless steel water bottle and take it with you everywhere you go.
24. Buy laundry detergent in a cardboard box instead of a plastic bottle.
25. Buy clothes from natural fabrics instead of synthetic fabrics. Every time a garment made of a synthetic fabric is washed, it releases tiny particles that end in our oceans. Threatening the animals and plants.
26. Order your drinks without plastic straws.
27. Give up gum. Gum is made of a synthetic rubber, aka plastic.
28. Use reusable cloth diapers, baby wipes, and bibs.
29. If you are breastfeeding use reusable nursing pads.
30. Use wooden toys instead of plastic toys. Wood is a more sustainable material and lasts long.

I hope you get inspired and see how easy it is to make little changes that have a big impact on our environment.

Interesting documentaries about these topics:
A Plastic Ocean – Watch on Netflix
Plasticized – Watch Here
Garbage Island: An Ocean of Plastic – Watch Here
Chasing Coral – Watch on Netflix

With Love,
Alisson

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