Continuing from our last post with campaigners ‘Plastic-Free Me’ we share a few more tips from the team on how you can make easy changes to switch to a more sustainable lifestyle. You can find part one here.
Mealtimes
A quick search for ‘plastic-free cookware’ will yield a whole host of creative and innovative solutions to rid your kitchen of unnecessary plastics, but before you begin buying new pieces of kit look in your cupboards and see what you could make or adapt from things you already own. Jam jars make great snack boxes and takeaway boxes are perfect for makeshift lunchboxes, but if you do find yourself in need of more storage containers it’s better to buy quality products that will stand the test of time when heated, cooled and used regularly such as glass ovenware with lids.
Bathroom
Often overlooked, our healthcare habits are one of the leading contributors to plastic pollution. Shampoos, conditioners and soap containers alongside toothbrushes, toothpastes, cotton wool buds and sanitary products are all examples of single-use plastics. One of the biggest offenders was ‘microbeads’ which are tiny plastic particles found in toothpastes, face washes and more but these have recently been banned in the UK a huge positive step. That’s not all, over the last few years there has also been a huge surge in clever DIY recipes or packaging-free alternatives to your favourite essentials. Plastic-free bathroom routines are affordable and easy to achieve: ‘naked’ products are becoming commonplace in high street stores and there is a plethora available online – so why don’t you give it a go?
Cleaning
Bleach, surface cleaner, deodorisers, window cleaner… all essential household items but all typically wrapped in plastic. There are alternatives that we can turn to, some of which have been used for decades to keep your home spick and span and your waste minimal. Bicarbonate of soda is a great natural deodoriser that takes away nasty smells, lemon juice a natural surface cleaner and you can even use distilled white vinegar with newspaper as a highly effective way to clean your windows.
Even washing machines are becoming more eco-friendly – but did you know that potentially every load of washing you do is likely to release tiny plastic particles called microfibres into the environment?
The biggest offenders are synthetic materials such as nylon and polyester, but before you throw away any of your clothes a solution does exist. You can now buy laundry bags and balls that are designed to sit in your washing drum and catch the synthetic fibres before they get washed down the drain. They’re reusable, durable and a simple but a highly effective addition to your home.
First steps
There you have it – some great first steps to help you on your way to a more plastic-free home. We all have a part to play in the effort to clean up our planet, so do as much or as little as you can and encourage others to do the same! Don’t forget to check out part one of this piece by following the link here.
To find out more about plastic pollution and how you can get involved to help us reduce it, please visit Plastic-Free Me to stay updated with the latest tips, tricks and news.
