Smart swaps for single use plastic
Plastic really has crept into every area of our life.
It can be quite overwhelming and hard to know to where to even start. My advice is to make small swaps and just do what you can. It’s not about being perfect – it’s about making an effort.
Take a look at what single-use plastic in your life you are consuming in big quantities and aim to find an alternative.
Trust me, once you get into the habit, it’s actually easy and pretty fun to take on the challenge.
I have listed here six of the most common single-use plastics and what you can use instead.
It just takes a little planning! Are you up for the challenge?
Plastic Food Wrap
This stuff is doubly worrying as the ‘anti-bacterial’ wrap may contain harmful toxins! Replace with
♥ upcycled glass jars (the bonus is you can see what’s in them)
♥ glass or stainless steel storage containers
♥ food covers, pockets and wraps (I love the original 4 My Earth brand)
♥ a ceramic bowl with a plate on top or two plates (too easy, right!)
♥ toxic free paper products
Find out more details about how I gave up plastic wrap! I haven’t bought a roll in well over five years! Woohoo!
Plastic Fruit and Vegetable Bags
This is a tricky one because I know it’s quite a habit to use those plastic bags at the supermarket!
♥ do you need a bag? Come on, bananas don’t need a bag!
♥ use reusable, lightweight produce bags (I’ve been doing this for years and it’s easy to remember them if they are in with your reusable grocery bags!
♥ shop at the farmers’ markets with an old-fashioned basket (I am in love with these jute baskets – so chic!)
Plastic Straws
♥ do you really need that straw? Start asking for drinks without straws when you buy a drink.
♥ use a glass, bamboo or stainless straw
TIP: If you do get stuck with a few plastic bags, take them back to the supermarket! Most larger stores will have a bin where you can recycle them.
Plastic Cutlery and Plates
I know how convenient these are when you have a party, but just a little bit of thought into alternatives can mean a huge difference!
♥ get some crockery and cutlery from your op shop – it’s so cheap and it will look funky (bribe the kids into washing up)
♥ get some biodegradable catering products (they actually look much more stylish plastic too)
♥ stash a bamboo spork or cutlery in your handbag for those lunches out and about
Plastic Grocery Bags
After all the publicity and education about these, I am still gob-smacked that I am usually the only person I see at the supermarket using my own bags. Please tell me this doesn’t happen in your local area!
There are several alternatives you can use. Personally, I don’t like the ‘green bags‘ as they are usually polypropylene (a fossil-fuel based plastic) and are imported from China. I have been using homemade or natural fibre bags.
Here are some great options:
♥ make your own bag! If you can operate a sewing machine, it’s not that hard to whip a few bags up out of an old pillowcase or t-shirt
♥ cotton reusable grocery bags
♥ jute reusable shopping bags
♥ canvas shopping bags
TIP: How do you freeze food without plastic? I wrap food in a toxin free baking paper and then pop into either a glass storage container or a 4 My Earth food bag.
Plastic Water Bottles
As well as being bad for the environment, drinking out of plastic bottles can also be questionable for your health. Get everyone in your family their own drink bottle (plus a few spares) and fill up before you leave the house. It quickly becomes routine!
♥ stainless steel drink bottles
♥ upcycle a glass bottle or jar
♥ invest in a nice glass jug and glass for work
♥ for hot drinks, I love my Contigo insulated stainless mug
The amazing plastic spoon
You may have seen this quote floating around on social media. It’s incredibly powerful and I love sharing it. I made my own design for it (I couldn’t find the original source of the quote, but please get in touch if you know it). Please pin it and share it on social media if it resonates with you – you have full permission to use my image, unaltered, wherever you like!
Where to shop:
More inspiration:
Plastic Free: How I Kicked the Habit
Have you got any more tips for us? What have you managed to ditch?
Geat post. I recently got some 4 my earth pockets. They’ve only been used once because it took DAYS for them to dry after washing! Any suggestions on how to keep them clean, I assumed you could rinse them out but now I’m not so sure.
Hey Sarah, I always throw in the washing machine if they are really bad but if just crumbs, a light rinse is fine!
We love the stainless steel straws. I am also looking at bamboo products for our picnics instead of disposable plastic like we used in the past. Thanks for this article, it’s super helpful 🙂
OH yes! I just noticed at Resuables that they have bamboo bowls and plates!!
That spoon analogy is fantastic! I’ve come a long way with my use of plastic but I still have a ways to go.(Working on it and you’ve provided some great reminders and incentives here).
Yeah it’s always a work in progress here. You are winning for just making an effort and being aware! xx