Want to live life with as little plastic as possible? You may be asking how do I get completely plastic free products? Well you’ve come to the right place. We’ve created a list of easy ways you can switch to plastic free options without breaking the bank.
This guide is meant as a simple way to show you what is possible, and that if we all make small changes, together we can change the earth for the better.
Reuse old jars
If you’re looking for a plastic free alternative, simply using old jars to buy your coffee, sugar, or other perishables is a great way to start. There are more and more stores opening up that operate a no plastic policy. You just bring your own containers and jars and fill them with your chosen items.
Glass jars make a great choice as glass is 100% recyclable. During the process of recycling glass, none of the materials are lost, so the glass you put in, you get back out!
Reuse plastic bags before recycling
Sometimes we get to the checkout in the store, realise we forgot our reusable bag, and are going to have to buy another plastic bag in order to get our shopping home. If this happens, we recommend simply using the bag again and again until it breaks.
If your plastic does break, there are loads of things you can do with it instead of putting it in the bin.
- If you want to get creative with some of your more worn plastic bags, check out this amazing guide to create an outdoor pom pom light, perfect for summer evenings.
- Into fitness? You can turn bags into a cool reusable skipping rope here.
- Into sewing? Instead of using wool, use the bags to fill outdoor cushions!
Choose wonky and loose veg
Looking to find products with plastic free packaging? Choosing loose veg is a great way to start. Choosing wonky veg is an even better option to reduce your CO2 footprint too.
“Ugly” or “wonky” veg were blamed for up to 40 percent of wasted fruit and vegetables in 2013, as produce was discarded for failing to meet retailer appearance standards. It is predicted around 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted worldwide every year and of this, fruit and vegetables have the highest wastage rates of any food type.
Choosing to buy wonky fruit or vegetables means less food wastage, meaning less new food needs to be produced, which in turn, helps reduce the amount of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere.
Make your own all-purpose cleaner
Making your own cleaning products is a great way to start living a plastic free life. We recommend always using a clean container, so if your spray bottle once had chemicals in it, make sure you give it a thorough cleaning.
To make an all round, all purpose cleaner, your going to need the following:
- 3/4 cup hydrogen peroxide
- 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon liquid soap
- 10 drops tea tree oil
- 20 drops lavender essential oil
- 2 cups water
Follow the link here for a full guide to create your own all purpose cleaners: https://www.bhg.com/homekeeping/house-cleaning/cleaning-products-tools/homemade-cleaners/
DIY cloths from your old clothes
Plastic free living can be especially difficult when plastic is hidden in nearly everything we buy, even our tea towels!
If your tea towels or cleaning cloths are near the end of their life, instead of buying new ones, you can upcycle any clothes you no longer wear or need.
With some simple sewing and cutting, you can create your own cloths with your own personal touch!
Use newspaper for bin liners
When you think about it, plastic bin bags are a huge waste of plastic, plus they always end up in landfills! Luckily, we’ve got a crafty way of never having to buy a bin bag again.
If you still get your local newspaper delivered or buy one from a store, you can actually reuse it once you’ve finished reading it. After all, it’s not news if you’ve already read it!
You can follow your handy guide on how to do it here:
Get one piece of newspaper and fold it in half and place it in the bottom of the bin.
- Get one piece of newspaper and fold it in half and place it in the bottom of the bin.
- Get one piece of newspaper and place it vertically down one side of your bin, folding a bit of the top around the rim.
- Repeat step three with the remaining three sides (or two sides if you have a smaller bin).
- When you put the bin back in the holder, just make sure the folded sides are under the rim, this will ensure the paper stays put!
- Woohoo! You’re on your way to plastic freedom!