Easy Ways To Reduce Plastic Waste in Your Household
Plastic pollution is a huge problem. Plastic is polluting our oceans, waterways, and cities, and is harming human health as well as wildlife. It is now believed that humans eat around 5 grams worth of microplastics a day through the food and drinks we consume. Plastics are also made from petroleum, so consuming plastics contributes to the continued extraction and processing of fossil fuels, and therefore contributes to climate change. Unfortunately, plastics are incredibly difficult to recycle, so most plastic isn’t. In fact, only about 10% of plastics are actually recycled. So the best way to address the issue of plastic pollution and plastics’ role in climate change is to use less plastic in the first place. However, plastic products are nearly ubiquitous and are exceptionally convenient! Plastics’ convenience is a huge driver of the massive consumption of plastics nowadays and a significant barrier to kicking the plastic habit. Trying to cut all or even most plastic from your life is a huge task and for many not a very realistic goal. But there are some super easy ways to decrease your plastic waste. Some of the easiest ways to reduce plastic consumption is to buy everyday products that you probably don’t think about too much from sustainably minded and environmentally responsible companies, which is a great first step to decrease your plastic waste. Here is a list of things I’ve done to decrease my own everyday plastic consumption.
Image description: Plastic and other garbage polluting a beach.
Reel paper products
One of the hardest to recycle and least often recycled plastics is plastic film that is used in packaging: think the plastic wrap/bag that goes keeps the paper towels rolls together in the package. Buying paper towels and toilet paper from Reel is the EASIEST way I eliminated some of this type of plastic waste from my household. The paper towels and toilet paper comes in cardboard boxes and are wrapped in paper, no plastic to be found! There is a few added bonuses to buying from Reel. First, is that it ships to your door, which is a big deal because I live in a city and don’t have a car, and carrying toilet paper and paper towels is a real hassle. Also, you can get a subscription so that you literally never have to think about buying paper towels or toilet paper ever again. Most importantly, Reel uses only bamboo and recycled paper in their products so by buying from them, you know that using paper products is not contributing to deforestation! They also sell tissues, so you can buy all your paper products from them and have peace of mind about their environmental impact.
2. Shampoo bars
When I think of my plastic consumption, I usually think about single use coffee cups or takeout containers and single use plastic utensil. But, I don’t often think about how much plastic goes into my skincare and haircare routines. I’m always shocked when I pack to go somewhere how many bulky plastic bottles I have to bring with me to keep up my beauty and wellness routines. One easy way that I have found to at least eliminate one of those bottles is by using a shampoo bar. I was skeptical of shampoo bars at first because I enjoy a good lather when I wash my hair and I didn’t want to give it up. But fear not! I have genuinely fallen in love with my shampoo bar, it creates a great lather and keep my hair looking beautiful and clean! My favorite brand for shampoo bars is Ethique. Ethique is a great company that is totally plastic free, palm oil free, cruelty free, vegan, and climate positive! I have found their shampoo bars to be really economical too as they last forever for me. Ethique also makes conditioner bars, body wash bars, lotion bars, skin cleanser bars, face serums, moisturizers, lip balms, lipsticks, and a bunch of other things for your hair and skin routines. This means that you can eliminate lots of plastic from your shower and bathroom counter! If you aren’t ready to give up your shampoo bottles for bars, another easy place to start is to swap your body wash bottle for a body wash bar, or for some good old bar soap.
3. Metal Safety Razors
Another sneaky thing that results in a lot of plastic waste: shaving. I’ve been guilty in the past of using lots and lots of disposable razors because they were convenient, and because I was scared of changing the heads/blades of more permanent razors. But, a few years ago I bucked up, faced my fear, and bought a metal safety razor to stop using all the disposable razors. First, changing the blades is not nearly as scary as I imagined. I just wrap head of the razor in a towel and twist it off, change the blade, rewrap it, and twist it back on. I have NEVER cut myself doing it this way. Second, the razor works just as well as other razors that I have used in the past. Finally, using the plastic-free safety razor, I save money and waste! I have bought just one razor and then I spend a couple of bucks on replacement blades every few months, which is a stark departure from my previous shaving routine.
4. Plastic-Free Laundry Detergent
I never associated doing laundry with plastic use until recently. I live in a building where there is a shared laundry room in the basement. The building isn’t very large and everyone in the various apartments are friendly with one another so people leave stuff their all the time. There is one table where everyone leaves their detergent. Currently, there must be 30+ plastic bottles, tubs, and boxes for laundry products despite only around 12 people living in the building. Why must we have so much plastic just for laundry detergent? So, I recently started buying laundry detergent sheets from EcoRoots. They work great and come in a paper box so they are totally plastic free. This has been such a simple swap to eliminate some plastic use from my household! I’ve also been using their reusable wool dryer balls, eliminating some more packaging from my laundry routine. Can recommend!
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