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10 Ways to Reduce Plastic in your Life

July 16, 2014 · 121 Comments

10 Ways to Reduce Plastic in your Life

So why would you avoid single use plastic?

Well, the main issues are:

* plastic hangs around in landfills for a very long time

* recycling plastic is inefficient and expensive

* it affects the environment, particularly marine life

* manufacturing of plastic makes a huge, negative impact on our environment.

* some plastics are known to be harmful to our health

 

 “Think about it. Why would you make something that you’re going to use for a few minutes out of a material that’s basically going to last forever, and you’re just going to throw it away. What’s up with that?” Jeb Berrier

 

reduce single use plastic

 

It can be quite overwhelming trying to avoid plastic. It has become such a pervasive commodity in our homes and our lives. My advice is to start small. Just choose one type of plastic you can avoid. Work on that. Then move to another type. Any small change you make, makes a difference.

 

Here are my top tips for reducing single use plastic:

 

1. Ditch the plastic grocery bags. Get yourself a stash of good cloth bags and get into the habit of putting them in the car. They are preferable to the ‘green’ bags from the supermarket that are made with petrochemicals. Cloth bags are biodegradable, durable and easy to wash. Check out these reusable bags.

 

2. Avoid plastic produce bags. When you buy fruit and vegetables, you have other options than using a plastic bag. You can use a paper bag or even better,  a reuseable produce bag. Buying bread or meat? Take a reusable bread bag with you to the bakery or butcher.

 

3. Give up the plastic straw. Okay you could just forgo the straw and use what you were born with – your lips! Or if you need to use a straw, you can get stainless steel, bamboo or glass straws these days. They are funky and they are easy to wash using the little brushes.

 

4. Don’t buy water in plastic bottles. Glass or stainless steel water bottles are so much better for your health and the environment!  Make it a habit to fill one up and take it with you every day.

 

5. Refuse plastic cutlery. I carry a bamboo spork in my handbag for those occasions when I am out and about and need to eat! It’s super cute. You could easily use some cutlery from home as well. Keep a stash in the car for family picnics and outings. Catering for a party at home? Head to the opshop and stock up on cutlery – it only takes a small effort to wash it up. Check out this great post Jo at Down to Earth Mother wrote about our disposable society.

 

Biome Eco Stores - Zero Waste, Toxin Free, Ethical Choices

6. Don’t buy plastic wrap. We gave up plastic wrap and it’s was surprisingly easy to do! Just get yourself set up with some reusable food covers and wraps and some glass storage. It soon becomes second nature to do without it.

 

7. No more plastic coffee lids or cups. Did you know that the lining of paper takeaway cups is also plastic? Take your own reusable coffee cup in to cafes and fill it up. There are so many great ones around these days to make it easy to find something perfect for you.

 

8. Rethink takeaway food containers. Hot food in plastic always freaks me out as the heat can cause toxins to leach into your food! Eeep! If you eat takeaway a lot, you might consider an alternative. Take in your own glass or pyrex dishes and get them to fill it up. Madeleine at NZ Ecochick does it!

 

9. Say no to the plastic toothbrush. Okay so maybe not a ‘single’ use product, but 700 million toothbrushes are manufactured each year. That’s a lot of plastic! Bamboo toothbrushes are a great option.

 

10. Swap garbage bags.  This is one area we still struggle with! However in doing a little research, I discovered that there are some good options out there. You can use newspaper to line your bins – find out how here or try a compostable bag.

 

11. Bonus Tip! Get a waste-free lunchbox for the kids! There are so many great ones with separate compartments so you don’t need to use any plastic wrap or buy food in portioned plastic bags or containers.

 

Did you know? Australians send 1 million tonnes of plastic waste to landfill each year!

 

Where to shop?

Flora and Fauna

Biome Eco Store

 

Want more?

My life without plastic wrap

Goodbye plastic, hello glass!

Smart swaps for single use plastics

How to negotiate the plastic bag ban

Why I’m breaking up with green bags

 

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Filed In: HOME / Tagged: low tox, plastic, plastic free, plastic free July, toxin free, zero-waste

Comments

  1. Brenda says

    July 16, 2014 at 3:41 pm

    My tip would be to get onto the 4 my earth covers asap! I’ve got a big range of them and not only are the eco friendly, but they are funky and fun and the kids love them too! Great giveaway!

    Reply
  2. Bele @ BlahBlah says

    July 16, 2014 at 3:48 pm

    Great suggestions! We were wondering what to line our bins with, because we no longer have any single use plastic bags left and we don’t buy newspapers. So, I started asking the neighbours for their old shopping bags, because most of them had an excess.
    The funny thing is that it’s ended up being a bit of a reminder for them and now they’re running out and I’m going to have to find new people to ask!
    The other big ones for us are using cloth nappies and buying staples from bulk food places.

    Reply
    • Jo (down to eath mother) says

      July 16, 2014 at 8:14 pm

      Hi Bele!

      Have you thought about ditching your bin all together? We have a 2kg yoghurt pot on the bench and put any “real rubbish” into that. If you’re separating recycling, soft plastics, food waste into other containers then you should find you’re only creating a small amount of non-messy or stinky rubbish that can be emptied straight into the kerbside bin.

      Reply
  3. Zoe says

    July 16, 2014 at 3:54 pm

    My tip is to buy produce that isn’t wrapped in plastic. For larger items like pumpkin and melons meal planning to use a whole one means more food prepared and less plastic used! 😀

    Reply
  4. Amy says

    July 16, 2014 at 3:54 pm

    One for the ladies only: use Lunette cups &/or cloth pads for “that time of the month!”

    Reply
  5. Jodi Brennan says

    July 16, 2014 at 4:11 pm

    Blitz up and cook your own baby food at home and freeze in ice cube trays. When you go out with bub, put a couple of cubes in a container with a spoon ( a bamboo one would be awesome) and a cold block/esky bag. That way, you dont need to buy any takeaway squeezy or jars of baby food which just get thrown away! Also you save a tonne of money!

    Reply
  6. Amanda says

    July 16, 2014 at 4:39 pm

    I love my 4myearth bread bags. Helps me aviod the plastic bags bread normally comes in.

    Reply
  7. Nicole says

    July 16, 2014 at 4:51 pm

    Save any glass jars (jam, pasta sauce, etc.) and reuse instead of plastic containers.

    Reply
  8. Sandra K says

    July 16, 2014 at 5:26 pm

    All great achievable ideas. My tip? Keep an eye out for cloth/ net produce bags that you can purchase to take along to the fruit shop. Or buy in bulk to cut down on packaging.

    Reply
  9. Louise says

    July 16, 2014 at 6:02 pm

    Definitely using potato starch bin liners but don’t forget no hot food scraps, tea bags etc to go in otherwise it degrades the bag and causes it to split! No one like leaky rubbish bags!

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      July 16, 2014 at 8:12 pm

      Oh I would not have thought of that!! thanks Louise 🙂

      Reply
  10. Rianna says

    July 16, 2014 at 6:03 pm

    This is an area I’m working on, but I’ve started implementing these tips from your original post. My tip is to buy paper-wrapped toilet paper, my favourite supplier being whogivesacrap.org. The toilet paper is made from recycled paper, the all-paper packaging can be recycled again, and they donate money to sanitation initiatives with their profits. Less waste and helping a good cause!

    Reply
  11. Cara C says

    July 16, 2014 at 6:56 pm

    As a mama to two under two there are so many ways to not only save money but also help reduce waste- along with cloth nappies, wipes, breast pads etc I love the Weinmeister silicone products. We have a couple of bibs, bowls and the portioned trays – all completely washable & reusable. What’s even better with the bowls & trays are their versatility- they can go in the freezer, microwave & oven, so once you’ve stopped freezing breast milk or puréed food they can get new life as muffin trays (one example!).

    Reply
  12. Bea says

    July 16, 2014 at 7:22 pm

    Love reading everyone’s inspiring ideas, thank you!!! I know it’s so hard trying to DIY cleaning/beauty products in our hectic lives, but FINALLY I sat and did a little research ( thanks to this blog!!!) and realised that a lot isn’t that hard or will take much extra time so have begun with a few DIY cleaning products so won’t need to buy them at the supermarket!! hence will reuse my own containers saving the plastic and the products I do purchase I try to ensure that they are from sustainable eco companies.

    Reply
  13. Kat says

    July 16, 2014 at 7:24 pm

    My son’s school does “Rubbish Free Wednesday” each week so we have a range of re-usable containers. We find that home-made muesli bars are a great way to reduce daily rubbish. We also use cloth nappies and take a “wet bag” with a face washer with us when we go out for morning tea, instead of using disposable wipes.

    Reply
  14. Lisa says

    July 16, 2014 at 7:55 pm

    These ideas are great. Others we do are to use thin damp washers instead of baby wipes and to take our glass jars to the health store to buy grains, flours, cereals, dried fruits etc directly.

    Reply
  15. Kristy says

    July 16, 2014 at 8:09 pm

    Instead of using plastic cutlery at picnics, pack regular cutlery. It will not only save you money but will help to reduce landfill.

    Reply
  16. Natalie says

    July 16, 2014 at 8:11 pm

    Love the ideas, and the comments above already 🙂 Bin liners are what I struggle with too – unfortunately, despite me using green bags, somehow we still get plastic ones.. when they are gone, I’ll get some of the ones above!

    I think for me, organisation is the key to reducing plastic in my life – that, and courage. To make sure I have the green bags with me (downstairs in the carpark isn’t quite close enough!). To make sure that reusable set of cutlery and stainless steel straw is with me. And courage to do something different like take containers to the butcher to have meat put into, reducing the need for plastic packaging.

    p.s. I subscribe and like all the pages already 🙂

    Reply
  17. sharyn w says

    July 16, 2014 at 8:23 pm

    cook as much as your own food from scratch – reduces packaging from processed foods (and is way better for you) 🙂

    Reply
  18. Madelaine says

    July 16, 2014 at 8:25 pm

    I thought it would be really hard to ditch plastic wrap in the kitchen. My tip would be to just stop buying it. You’ll be amazed by how little you’ll miss it and how easy it is to find sustainable alternatives.

    Reply
  19. Theresa says

    July 16, 2014 at 8:31 pm

    My tip for a plastic free July is really take on board all the great tips given and record what you have replaced and compile a book on being plastic free. This way you can show anyone who says it is too hard to do and prove to them how easy it actually is! A great way to involve the kids too!

    Reply
  20. Janneke says

    July 16, 2014 at 8:33 pm

    Cut apple upside down on a plate or piece of paper.
    Don’t bag produce at all! They can weigh them and put the straight in the carry bag

    Reply
  21. Kayla says

    July 16, 2014 at 10:26 pm

    Anything that can’t go to chooks, compost bins, worm farm or be recycled gets wrapped in newspaper and put in the bin. We have been plastic free for 6 months and don’t miss it at all. My mum still wonders how we survive without cling wrap though lol

    Reply
  22. Kate says

    July 16, 2014 at 10:54 pm

    Thanks for the great tips! My tip would be to keep a picnic basket in the car to avoid plastic plates, cutlery etc on those impromptu picnics.

    Reply
  23. Chelse says

    July 17, 2014 at 8:27 am

    My tip is to buy as much as you can in bulk! This saves purchasing items weekly and throwing the packaging away. Also always look felt packaging in cardboard or paper and not plastic. I recently changed my pasta brand, so simple to do!

    Reply
  24. Leah says

    July 17, 2014 at 9:53 am

    my tip is to remember to take your reusable grocery shopping bags with you every where… n if you dont have any, make some with an old tshirt

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 27, 2014 at 1:23 pm

      Keep your (non plastic) shopping bags always in the car, then you never forget your bags when out shopping.

      Reply
  25. Morgan Grindrod says

    July 17, 2014 at 9:54 am

    My tip would be pick a product every week to replace, so this week I will buy lots of reusable fabric shopping bags and next week a few reusable food covers, thus being more affordable and a great step toward a plastic free life.

    Reply
  26. Kirsty says

    July 17, 2014 at 9:54 am

    Hey NNAM I’m pretty proud of myself as I have/do 7 of the above things to reduce plastic in our lives!!! The shell/Lego debate is heating up on green peace fb page at the moment so I’m going to be SUPER AWARE when buying birthday pressies and get back to my crafty roots to bring gifts unique to people we love.
    Thanks for all you do xxxx

    Reply
  27. Jodie says

    July 17, 2014 at 9:58 am

    I take reusable light mesh veggies bags to the supermarket to put my fresh fruits and veggies in. Instead of those plastic veggies bags. I got mine from enjo. And of course I use reusable cloth bags and eskies to put my groceries in 🙂

    Reply
  28. Mariesa says

    July 17, 2014 at 10:36 am

    I always carry one of those rolled up fabric shopping bags in my handbag so if I am out and unexpectedly buy something I can put it in there and don’t need to use plastic bags. It’s a lot stronger than most plastic bags too and has a big enough handle to go on my shoulder to help with any weight 🙂

    Reply
  29. Kerry Turnham says

    July 17, 2014 at 11:07 am

    All great tips above, I do a number of them but can always do better.Good reminder.I like to use lunch containers with seperate spaces for for all home made treats,muffins,quiches,bliss balls fruit etc for school. Also don’t buy packaged processed food anymore,as well as all the plastic waste, homemade is always yummier and healthy and you know exactly whats it it.

    Reply
  30. Carlie says

    July 17, 2014 at 11:12 am

    Awesome giveaway pack! My bag was stolen along with some plastic free goodies such as a brand new spork and some gorgeous cloth nappies. Not long after I gave away all my glassware to my Mum I started reading and getting into ‘use glass not plastic’ and soon wanted them all back 😉 ! I am slowly doing just that, small steps at a time, including using small glass bowls for the kids meals, and now that the microwave has blown up, we also heat up the meals in glassware in the oven or on the stove top!

    Reply
  31. Michelle says

    July 17, 2014 at 12:38 pm

    Lots of great ideas there! I say no to plastic bags where ever I can and reuse bags that I already have. I know its not much but every little bit helps in the long run 🙂

    Reply
  32. Shirley Muir says

    July 17, 2014 at 1:36 pm

    My tip is to buy meat from a local butcher – ours is wrapped in butchers paper ^ they use paper bags – or you could take your own paper to wrap it in! Supermarket meat (apart from maybe nor being the most ethically sourced) is wrapped in plastic. Same g
    oes for cheeses. 🙂 Love the products in the giveaway pack – am off to look them up now!

    Reply
  33. justine says

    July 17, 2014 at 2:35 pm

    My tip is to avoid the supermarket as much as possible, that way you avoid plastic packaging and get to be creative coming up with plastic free ideas, for example, growing your own salad leaves instead of buying the prepackaged version,no chemicals and better for you too!

    Reply
  34. kelly skuse says

    July 17, 2014 at 2:50 pm

    Use hankerchiefs instead of tissues and reuseable clothes instead of paper towel.

    Reply
  35. sarah watson says

    July 17, 2014 at 3:00 pm

    I love reusing glass jars to store rice, lentils etc. Smaller jars are also great for taking snack to work in.

    Reply
  36. Monique @ The Nourished Psychologist says

    July 17, 2014 at 4:22 pm

    I always carry several fabric bags in my handbag so that i don’t have to accept plastic bags anywhere. We also shop at a bulk wholefood shop and store the goods in glass jars that we have kept from coconut oil, honey etc. The paper bags that we bring the bulk goods home in get put in the compost. I also love my 4 my earth pockets and bread bag. I really need to get more of those!

    Reply
  37. Irene says

    July 17, 2014 at 5:08 pm

    We love the 4 My Earth pockets for lunches, and that school sends all waste home. I also have light mesh bags to take to the green grocer for fruit and veg – can’t remember where they came from.
    Instead of paper towels/napkins/wipes for kids, we have colour coded kitchen cloths. One colour for each child and one for me that I can use for cleaning!

    Reply
  38. Casey says

    July 17, 2014 at 5:41 pm

    I always make sure I have some small foldable shopping bags in my handbag so they are always there when I need them. I am going to put some cutlery and a stainless steel straw into my car for when I’m out and about. Thanks for the great tips 🙂

    Reply
  39. Michelle says

    July 17, 2014 at 5:51 pm

    Use a decent lunchbox with a good seal that doesn’t require kids sandwiches to be wrapped in cling wrap in order to stay fresh.

    Reply
  40. Molly says

    July 17, 2014 at 6:35 pm

    Cloth nappies! We use terry cloth squares, means no disposables so no land fill.

    Reply
  41. Sara says

    July 17, 2014 at 7:57 pm

    Thanks for the inspiration! Sometimes I get funny looks when I forget my re-usable bags and shove my groceries in my handbag/jacket/pocket and carry the rest. It’s always a good reminder to keep bags in my handbag or the back of the car to use as needed!

    Reply
  42. Melissa Connors says

    July 17, 2014 at 9:09 pm

    My tip is to start with the little things School lunches water bottles and stop vying cling wrap, then every year step it up.

    Reply
  43. Kate says

    July 17, 2014 at 9:15 pm

    As a mum we use reusable cloth nappies and wipes. We only go to cafés that accept our keepcups and buy our dairy products in glass. Oh and a massive compost pile.

    Reply
  44. Cassie says

    July 17, 2014 at 9:18 pm

    So many wonderful tips!
    I bake my own bread, so am able to avoid plastic bread bags. I store my bread in a gorgeous 4myearth bread bag.

    Reply
  45. Barbara says

    July 17, 2014 at 9:41 pm

    Grow your own veggies in a backyard garden or sprouts, herbs and watercress on your windowsill and in recycled glass jars. Get chooks that will happily eat most of your kitchen scraps and give you eggs and meat in return ( you can get meat chickens too!) Get a compost bin or a worm farm for your other organic waste. Cook with seasonal ingredients picked fresh from your garden. Swap your produce with the neighbours. Pickle the excess. Recycle and reuse!

    Reply
  46. Anna says

    July 17, 2014 at 9:41 pm

    Great post Sonia! The big ones for us are lunches, (was) cloth nappies, string bags or no bags (I do think it’s a little strange to put bananas into a small plastic bag but maybe that’s just me!:) ) for fruit and veg and buying in bulk to reduce packaging.

    Reply
  47. Fiona says

    July 17, 2014 at 10:01 pm

    Cloth nappies, bake all your snacks and treats, buy your kids second hand toys such as Lego/duplo, dolls, etc, I sew gifts for kid’s friend’s birthday parties, make sure you put your green bags in the car as soon as you unpack your shopping, plant new plants from cuttings, grow as much food as you can, especially herbs as they always seem to need plastic.

    Reply
  48. Carol Davis says

    July 17, 2014 at 10:20 pm

    I love all your ideas. We are all lunch packers, and make an effort to only use glass. I forgot all about the produce plastic bags – thanks for the reminder. I save all jars from coconut oil, sauces, etc, wash, and save to be used again for storage.

    Reply
  49. Megan says

    July 17, 2014 at 11:04 pm

    Thanks for some great tips, especially the garbage bag ideas!! I made the vow to not buy gladwrap after my last roll ran out and haven’t missed it at all. I don’t have the flash covers from 4myearth yet but we just cover leftovers etc with a bowl or plate., works a treat! I

    Reply
  50. Sara says

    July 18, 2014 at 8:59 am

    cloth nappies and face washers.
    keep every jar – they can store so many things!
    buy from farmers markets
    make your own beauty products, easy and keep and no plastic.

    Reply
  51. Gayle Richardson says

    July 18, 2014 at 9:02 am

    My suggestion is just to be more conscious every day. It is hard to do things overnight, so pick one or two things each week to address. I now take my water bottle with me everywhere and also take material bags every time I go shopping. Next will be reducing the plastic bags and plastic items for fruit and vegetables.

    Reply
  52. Erin says

    July 18, 2014 at 9:08 am

    Instead of using large plastic storage containers/boxes. We reuse the cardboard boxes that our organic vegetables/fruit arrives in each week. They are a perfect size for under bed storage and allow stored items to breathe (especially important for storing clothes).

    Reply
  53. Linda de says

    July 18, 2014 at 9:33 am

    Dont be afraid to bring your own packaging to shops/stores. I bring reusable small and large bags for deli and grocery. Also glass containers and a wooden crate.
    Also leave my own covers..IF i need to get something dry-cleaned.

    Reply
  54. Melinda says

    July 18, 2014 at 10:02 am

    I keep all my jars and store pantry items bought in bulk in them. I make my own laundry liquid and handsoap and store it in recycled bottles. And there is now a bottled water company that have brought out a glass bottle , I bought one and refill it with filtered water. I also dont use cling wrap 🙂 Try to use cloth shopping bags , Just some small steps but working on more and more changes

    Reply
  55. Alisha says

    July 18, 2014 at 10:06 am

    Great prize Sonia – shared on page 🙂

    Reply
  56. Dominika says

    July 18, 2014 at 10:15 am

    I am a “once-a-month-cooker” so I started a while ago to slowly but steadily replace my plastic by glassware that is freezable and oven safe and I love them!

    Reply
  57. Sandi says

    July 18, 2014 at 10:37 am

    I don’t have any tips! But I’ve just read all of the above and learnt a huge amount! I’m only learning but we are putting new green practices into our every day!! <3 <3

    Reply
  58. Leanne says

    July 18, 2014 at 10:47 am

    I already do most of those but I really need to start doing the coffee cup thing!
    I just spent a lot on glass drink bottles for the car etc but I did it knowing in the long run I will save on buying water in plastic while out. Short term pain againg term gain 😉 I save and reuse glass jars/bottles from food items to use again for food storage.

    Reply
  59. karina l says

    July 18, 2014 at 11:04 am

    We always re-use our shopping bags as bin bags. Saves us having to buy garbage bags!

    Reply
  60. Terri Todd says

    July 18, 2014 at 12:12 pm

    Reusing plastic bags for rubbish, using reusable water bottles, by sending my daughter to school with a good lunch container with no glad wrap.

    Reply
  61. Molly says

    July 18, 2014 at 1:26 pm

    Oh another one in our house is we buy the large tubs of yogurt and we use reusable food squeezies instead of buying yogurt for the kids in the pouches to throw away, just wash up our reusable ones. Saves on plastic wastage and money.

    Reply
  62. Sarah says

    July 18, 2014 at 1:26 pm

    I carry reusable bags in my handbag and take bags to the supermarket. I no longer use the plastic produce bags. Make as much food as possible at home such as snacks for kinder and to take out, which saves plastic and is healthier anyway.

    Reply
  63. Hayley says

    July 18, 2014 at 1:56 pm

    My tip is to use washable breast pads when breast feeding. I used them for all if my kids and found them so much easier and more comfortable than the disposable ones. You can buy them from the baby section of the supermarket.

    Reply
  64. jo says

    July 18, 2014 at 2:18 pm

    I save all my glass jars from coconut oil, tomato paste etc and use them to store my nuts, seeds, milk, smoothies…….. I also use them to make homemade gifts – filled with nut mixes or other goodies, add a label and a themed ribbon and they look fantastic. The kids love to do this and no plastic wrapped presents need to be bought.

    Reply
  65. Emma says

    July 18, 2014 at 3:44 pm

    I’m currently trying to change our way of living. I think I’ve been aware of all of our current health and planet issues for a while but have only just become motivated to make the changes due to my 16 month old son. We’ve made some great steps forward with reusable shopping bags, eating more wholesome homemade food, and using cloth nappies and wipes. But still have a lot to learn and things we could change.

    Reply
  66. Tracey Rose says

    July 18, 2014 at 3:59 pm

    Great ideas … i keep forgetting to put my shopping bags in the car – slacker! This is officially my kick up the butt 🙂

    Reply
  67. Shannon Morgan says

    July 18, 2014 at 4:33 pm

    Using cloth nappies rather than disposables! They look cute, save you tonnes of money and save tonnes of landfill…everyone wins!

    Reply
  68. Fiona says

    July 18, 2014 at 7:21 pm

    My tip would be to buy glass containers when they are on special and slowly change from plastic to glass. But dont just throw the plastic ones out, use them until they die.

    Reply
  69. Nadine says

    July 18, 2014 at 8:21 pm

    We make our lunches plats if wrapper free – fruit is whole and other food items on separate spaces in the lunchbox. I don’t buy individual yoghurt either – just use Tupperware snack
    Cups.

    Reply
  70. Chantelle says

    July 18, 2014 at 9:14 pm

    Some great tips here. Mine is to get in the habit of telling the salesperson/ shop assistant/ butcher/ whoever that you have your own straw, cutlery, bag, container etc before you commence your purchase. A small thing but for those that have worked in retail, it saves us from going into auto mode and giving you the plastic anyways.

    Reply
  71. Stacey Shailer says

    July 20, 2014 at 7:02 am

    I ditched the disposable nappies and wipes for cloth! Much better for the environment and bubba, and great savings for my budget. I also was one of those people who diligently left the shopping bags in the car for my next trip to the supermarket, however found that I often forgot to take them into the shop with me, grrr! So I’ve now trained my oldest son to remind me to take them in, he’s got a much better memory than me 🙂

    Reply
  72. Cas says

    July 20, 2014 at 4:21 pm

    Buying in bulk rather than those little individual school lunch snacks, my daughters school even has ‘no-wrapper-Wednesday’ a great idea!

    Reply
  73. Melissa says

    July 21, 2014 at 11:15 am

    I enjoyed this post and I enjoyed reading the tips as well. It was reinforcing for me as I am already doing a lot of these things. Most of my tips have been covered I think, but regular things I do most days: making food from scratch, taking school and work lunches in stainless containers, buying in bulk where possible, and reusing glass jars for a variety of purposes. An extra tip was that my local fruit and veg shop often has a pile of boxes out the front and customers are able to use them to take home with their goodies in. I am sure they would be accessable in other stores.

    Reply
  74. Bec M says

    July 21, 2014 at 3:06 pm

    I do all of these things already and have recently discovered Scarlet Eve, reusable cloth pads in cute prints and colours 🙂

    Reply
  75. jemimah ivers says

    July 21, 2014 at 4:19 pm

    My tip would be to buy music off iTunes or other sites and movies too if possible. That way avoiding the excess plastic of DVDs and cds plus their cases

    Reply
  76. Jessie Hay says

    July 21, 2014 at 7:18 pm

    Forget about plastic bin liners- simply empty the rubbish bin straight into the wheelie bin and give a quick rinse afterwards 🙂

    Reply
  77. Lorraine k says

    July 21, 2014 at 9:43 pm

    Contact the manufacturers of your hair care and lotions and see if they will sell you a big container of it, or better yet, see if u Can return your containers to be refilled. I know one of the organic traders in maleny, qld have huge containers of mukti organics products that you can DIY refills into any container u ring in. Our organic food supplier here does the same with raw honey 🙂

    Reply
  78. Candice Daniel says

    July 21, 2014 at 10:35 pm

    Glass jars! I love my glass jars especially the old ones with loads of character. i buy my flour etc from the health food shop in those little recycled paper bags you fill up then Straight home to the jars.

    Reply
  79. Corrine Harris says

    July 22, 2014 at 11:34 am

    I never use disposable items for parties, as said above it only takes a few minutes to wash things up. I have even been known to take disposable items from friends parties, give them a clean and make use of them 🙂

    Reply
  80. Andrea says

    July 22, 2014 at 12:41 pm

    When I shop at the supermarket, I choose products that are not wrapped in plastic ie, I will buy the flour that is wrapped in paper not in plastic.

    Reply
  81. Kerry Solomon says

    July 22, 2014 at 1:13 pm

    I am amazed at how many people still wrap their kiddies school lunches in plastic 🙁 Invest in great lunch boxes, it will pay off on so many levels. Also recycle glass jars that your food comes in – their uses are never-ending!

    Reply
  82. Carly W says

    July 22, 2014 at 3:28 pm

    My tip for Plastic Free July

    Say NO to any more plastic bags .. but those that you already have .. use them up in a craft to help make more bags .. like this one

    http://www.instructables.com/id/Shopping-bag-from-plastic-shopping-bags/

    or

    grab some ideas from here … http://www.pinterest.com/sherron/plastic-bag-crafts/

    I have made the first one .. the crochet bag .. it rocks!

    Reply
  83. Carly W says

    July 22, 2014 at 3:29 pm

    something else I have been slowly doing ….
    using those big Coffee Jars (Moccona) with a glass lid to store perishables in the pantry … paint a ‘label’ with blackboard paint … and you can keep track of use by dates etc with some chalk … no more plastic labels and plastic pens!

    Reply
  84. summah says

    July 22, 2014 at 4:39 pm

    My tip is to utilise what plastic you do have! You can create great gardening creations using plastic items, and nailing to wooden boards for a vertical garden 🙂

    Reply
  85. Jacky B says

    July 22, 2014 at 6:06 pm

    My tip is simply to be prepared: always have at least one fold up bag in your handbag to avoid being caught out and educate your family so they dont unwittingly destroy all your best efforts.

    Reply
  86. Di Heath says

    July 22, 2014 at 9:50 pm

    Buy produce from farmers markets using your own reusable shopping bags 🙂

    Reply
  87. Sandra says

    July 23, 2014 at 6:21 am

    When buying fruit and veg in a supermarket, avoid those plastic bags. For small things just go grab a paper mushroom bag to use and I also use that bag to get any nuts or dried fruit that they sell per kg.

    Dont buy oven baking bags but just use baking paper to create a oven safe bag to bake/steam.

    Always have a flask of water when going out, this will prevent having to buy bottled water as you can just refil it. Or when purchasing juice or milkshake from a juice bar, simply ask them to fill it into your flask.

    Have a insulated coffee mug in your bag and when buying coffee simply ask them to pour your coffee in that instead of their paper or plastic cups that always have the plastic lids

    Buy your potatoes lose so you avoid the plastic bag they otherwise come in

    I make my own toothpaste so i avoid that plastic tube all together

    Grains, nuts and dried fruit often come in resealable bags, once empty simply wash them out and reuse them again

    Buy spices and herbs in glass jars or go to a spive shop for refils (take jars along to fill)

    Have with you always one of those cloth bags that fold up to be tiny and fit in a pouch. Just in case you might need an extra bag or you need store your kids soiled ones

    Reply
  88. Carly W says

    July 23, 2014 at 8:33 am

    another use for plastic you may already have ….. its a great idea to recycle it in any way you can …

    http://diycozyhome.com/turn-a-plastic-bottle-into-an-adorable-owl/

    Reply
  89. Megan says

    July 23, 2014 at 9:19 am

    It was my daughters birthday in early July so instead of havingballons and other plastic type decorations we made all of our own out of pretty paper and wool (garland type decorations). Not only did we save waste and money (we already had all the craft supplies at home) my daughter was very proud of her homemade efforts.

    Reply
  90. Lou says

    July 23, 2014 at 2:58 pm

    I love “Green Toys” (not Aussie but anyway) – I suppose it’s still using plastic but anyway all their products are made out of recycled milk jugs…. so cool for the kids…. Misty has a submarine and a dump truck.

    Take your own shopping bags…. re-use glass jars instead of using plastic takeaway containers….. use your local bulk foods store…. support products & companies that use recycled packaging…. go hug a tree!!

    Reply
  91. Karen Edwards says

    July 24, 2014 at 12:19 pm

    I always carry a bag in my handbag so i don’t get caught out and need a shopping bag at the checkout

    Reply
  92. Amanda Gorton says

    July 25, 2014 at 7:46 pm

    One plainly obvious tip to reduce plastic use is to swap plastic shopping bags for environmental reusable ones. I always carry them in the boot of my car, so they are never forgotten when I do my shopping.
    Dont just stop at bags either consider reusable coffee takeaway cups, refilling a drink bottle instead of bottled water, swap cling wrap for containers or paper bags etc – if everybody makes one small change it can make one BIG difference!

    Reply
  93. sharon mclean says

    July 26, 2014 at 7:58 pm

    We re-use glass jars for dry storage , for making home-made dressings..and if any left overs we use the glass jars for that too in the fridge.. for school no plastic wrap .. always re-usable containers .. we don’t buy bottled water ..and use organic shopping bags …

    Reply
  94. Jo Draper says

    July 27, 2014 at 8:30 am

    My tip would be to drink tap water from a glass, rather than plastic bottled waters! Cheaper too! xxxx

    Reply
  95. Jo says

    July 27, 2014 at 5:43 pm

    I have some ‘Keep Leaf’ pockets, which are great for that 1/2 an onion or 1/2 lemon that is left over during cooking. Using plastic wrap for little things like this really adds up.

    Reply
  96. Jessica Yohn says

    July 27, 2014 at 11:31 pm

    My tip would have to be to look for stores that offer alternative bagging. We have a store her called Aldi’s that does not sack with plastic. In fact they don’t sack at all. They “bag” with boxes, they have no plastic bags. So you have to use your own bags or e the boxes. Walmart still offers paper bags in some stores. So see if your favorite stores, or stores near you offer things like like this. That way if you forget your reusable sacks you have an option other than using plastic. Also use what you are buying as a “bag”. If you’re buying a tote, trash can, clothes hamper, etc. Ask if you can have your stuff put in those items.

    Reply
  97. Jessica Yohn says

    July 27, 2014 at 11:36 pm

    Also try gDiapers as an alternative to disposible diapers. They are cloth diapers with disposable inserts that are biodegradable. You can just flush the insert or even compost them

    Reply
  98. Belinda says

    July 28, 2014 at 4:03 pm

    I recycle all my glass jars to use for homemade jams, nut butters etc. Buy honey direct from the beekeeper and take his jars back for re-use. And use containers for lunches, snacks instead of plastic wrap. Have a plastic keepcup for my take away coffee but would LOVE a glass one 🙂

    Reply
  99. Sam says

    July 28, 2014 at 4:44 pm

    We have no wrap lunch boxes and we reuse all our glass bottles and make our own basics now and have just started to try not to use plastic wrap we bought some Pyrex dishes and have Tupperware but those material covers are a fantastic idea! We also buy our flours etc in bulk and they come in paper bags xx

    Reply
  100. Melissa Melrose says

    July 28, 2014 at 8:30 pm

    we are always using jars for storage.Reusable wrap for kids lunches and heading over to get new lunch boxes after this post. We all have our own water bottles and take our own bags shopping and to farmers market…x

    Reply
  101. ella says

    July 28, 2014 at 8:30 pm

    Grow your own food at home 😉

    Reply
  102. Andy says

    July 28, 2014 at 9:18 pm

    I never throw out glass jars anymore….i use them to store all of my pantry staples.

    Reply
  103. Sally k says

    July 28, 2014 at 9:58 pm

    We make most I our food from scratch, so don’t buy anything prepackaged. I’ve been asking neighbours, friends and family to save their jars for me and we use them for storage. I’ve got a good stash for preserving now too.

    Reply
  104. stacey fiechtner says

    July 29, 2014 at 5:47 am

    No more disposable wipes, we have piles of face washes around the house for the kids to use.

    Reply
  105. Maria says

    July 30, 2014 at 9:43 am

    All containers plastic or otherwise are given to my husband when I’m finished with them. He always finds a use for them, be in the garden, his shed or his boat!

    Reply
  106. Cate says

    July 30, 2014 at 9:06 pm

    We buy food that we use alot of in bulk and then send to school/work in reusable containers. These include such items as yoghurt, dried apricots and dried chickpeas. Not only does this cut down waste, but it’s also good for the budget.

    Reply
  107. soniac says

    July 31, 2014 at 9:40 am

    Use wax paper to cover containers instead of gladwrap….you can find waxed material covers that can be washed etc if you really want to get in the recyclable field

    Reply
  108. glenda pitman says

    July 31, 2014 at 9:41 am

    I am loving these tips so much. Two that have reduced a lot of plastic in my life is to buy all meat from our local butcher who has no problems putting it in our containers ( as well as eat less meat) and I make all my skin care products from the pantry so heaps less tubes and caps and toxins. Love love love your blog. Thankyou.
    I am also running a local information night “Life with Less Plastic” soon so hoping to inspire others to use a whole lot less plastic in their lives.

    Reply
  109. Annwen says

    July 31, 2014 at 9:46 am

    Best tip is to place a saucer on top of leftovers in the fridge instead of using cling wrap!

    Reply
  110. Rebecca says

    July 31, 2014 at 11:17 am

    My tip for reducing plastic in our lives is using bamboo plates, cups and bowls for babies and children as they don’t break when dropped and can be reused over and over then eventually composted. I also think doing things one step at a time is much better for the family finances and doesn’t seem so overwhelming! We have been on a journey for the last two years of reducing plastic in our lives since our oldest child was born and we are getting there bit by bit 🙂

    Reply
    • Kate says

      July 31, 2014 at 8:08 pm

      Can I ask where you get the bamboo plates from? What a great idea!

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        August 1, 2014 at 9:40 pm

        I have seen them in my local IGA but I bought my original set as a picnic hamper, called EcoSoulLife 🙂

        Reply
  111. Karlene says

    July 31, 2014 at 11:37 am

    Do more home baking and buy less pre-packaged items.

    Reply
  112. Ros says

    July 31, 2014 at 1:32 pm

    I carry two cloth bags in the little side pockets of my handbag, just in case I forget to take my reusable bags when out shopping. Always handy.

    Reply
  113. Lisa Munro says

    July 31, 2014 at 3:31 pm

    I always take my reusable produce bags to the farmers markets 🙂

    Reply
  114. Aleisha Tomasevic says

    July 31, 2014 at 3:58 pm

    Shop at your local farmers market and byo basket. No plastic bags needed

    Reply
  115. Natural New Age Mum says

    August 1, 2014 at 7:59 pm

    the lucky winner is Jo Draper! Congrats Jo!

    Reply
  116. Jill Rogat says

    August 4, 2014 at 1:33 pm

    I am familiar with reducing the use of plastic bags and containers as well as buying in bulk. But I never thought of investing in a bamboo toothbrush. What a great idea!

    Reply

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