10 Simple Swaps to Make to Easily Reduce Plastic Use
Looking to live more sustainably, but not sure where to start? Cutting down on the plastic products is a great place to begin.
This guide features a quick list of ten easy way to reduce plastic use and live a more eco-friendly lifestyle.
This post does contain some affiliate links! All products I truly believe in!
Why is it important that we use less plastic?
For starters creating plastic is not the most eco-friendly process and uses crude oil. It’s reported that more than 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic has been produced since the early 1950s.
About 60% of that plastic has ended up in either a landfill or the natural environment. That’s a lot of waste!
And to think of all the materials and energy used to create those single used plastic bottles and bags that are used for five minutes and then discarded. Our planet deserves better than that!
How to Use Less Plastic?
It’s challenging to just immediately start living plastic free. I encourage you to start small and pick certain items you' plan to focus on swapping out. This will make the transition feel more doable! Here are ten easy ways to reduce plastic use.
Reusable Water Bottle
Ditch the disposable plastic water bottles and invest in an eco-friendly reusable water bottle.
Try to choose stainless steel or glass as these are less toxic materials and less harmful to the environment.
Beeswax wrap instead of plastic wrap
Get rid of the plastic wrap and swap for Beeswax Wrap. Beeswax Wrap is a sustainable alternative made from fabric, oils, and beeswax. It works wonders when preserving food.
Seriously, I use it all the time on fruits, vegetables, and cheeses. While this item may seem pricey compared to plastic wrap, it can actually save you money in the long term because you're able to wash and reuse the beeswax wrap.
Also since Beeswax Wrap is made with natural materials, wrapping your food in this alternative prevents harmful chemicals from seeping into your food. Definitely a good investment for sustainable living and be sure to read the guide on how to use beeswax wrap.
Reusable or Compostable K-Cups
K-cups have been causing a lot of waste ever since the Keurig came out in the early 2000s. According to NPR in 2015 sixty billion K-Cups had gone into landfills which is crazy! But I know, the convenient and quick cup of coffee in minutes is hard to ditch! By switching to a reusable or compostable k-cups this can reduce the amount of plastic that our single serve coffees send to the landfill.
Personally, I use the reusable k-cup and put my favorite fair trade coffees in it. When I’m finished I wash out the coffee grinds (sometimes I save them to make body scrub) and then reuse the next day.
Have a zero waste period with period underwear
Say goodbye to those plastic tampon applicators and join get on board with period panties! They really do work…at least from my three years of experience wearing them.
Laundry Pods instead of plastic detergent bottles
From my chat with the Dropps team I learned that there is a lot of plastic waste coming from laundry bottles and the industry in general. By using Dropps plant based laundry detergent pods the pre-measured pods allow you to reduce detergent waste.
Their packaging is also 100% recyclable and compostable reducing the amount of laundry detergent bottles that make it to the landfill.
Reusable Produce Bags
Cut down on those plastic produce bags by taking your own! Reusable produce bags can easily be thrown in the washer and taken on your next trip to the grocery store.
Check out these reusable produce bags that I use!
Reusable Straw
Swap those disposable straws for a long lasting stainless steel straw! More durable and better for the environment, it's a win win! AND you don’t have to continuously keep buying straws. Invest in a reusable straw…it’ll do good things for your wallet & the environment! Check out this affordable reusable straw kit.
Reusable Grocery Bags
This is an easy one that’s been pretty trendy! Take your own grocery bags to the store to avoid receiving plastic bags. The less demand there is for plastic bags, the less we will see of them all together.
Reusable Snack Bags
Ditch the plastic snack bags and food savers! Invest in reusable snack bags to keep your food fresh. This an an affordable swap that's easy! I’m obsessed with these adorable plant themed reusable snack bags.
Shampoo Bars
Take plastic out of showers by using shampoo bars instead of shampoo bottles. Lush has some great smelling shampoo bars and my personal favorite shampoo bar is the Sun Stone Shampoo Bar by Corvus Botanical.
You use it just like you would soap…lather it up, but instead of applying to your skin you apply to your hair. Easy & eco-friendly.
I know the thought of removing plastic from your routine can seem intimidating, but take it step by step and focus on select items. Hopefully these tips helped give you a few easy places to start.
Meet the Author
Emily Waddell is the founder of The Honest Consumer. She has always been passionate about business for good and has a Bachelor of Science in Social Entrepreneurship. She currently lives in Seattle where she practices imperfect sustainability. When she’s not writing, Emily enjoys supporting small businesses, clean eating, ethical fashion, and practicing slow living.
For more tips & tricks on ethical fashion & conscious living be sure to follow The Honest Consumer on social media!