14 Easy Ways To Reduce Plastic

Here is a list of everyday items that can greatly lower your plastic consumption. 

1. Toothbrush

The Majority of department stores now sell plastic-free toothbrushes. These are normally made from bamboo and are in plastic-free packaging as well.

https://www.colgate.com/en-gb/products/toothbrush/colgate-bamboo-charcoal-soft

2. Deodorant
   

Deodorant doesn’t always have to come in the plastic stick form. I have recently switched to a plastic-free alternative by ‘Super Deoderant’ and has actually performed better than my old antiperspirant. 

https://superdeodorant.com/

3. Shampoo
   

I have recently found no packaging shampoo. There are many brands that do this one of the most popular is probably Lush. They make a complete line of no packaging products to check out. An added benefit is your shower becomes a lot more organized.

4. Coffee Pods
   

Coffee pods have become such a large convenience nowadays. But did you know companies like Keurig sell reusable pods? Not only is this more environmentally sustainable, but it will also lower the cost of your cup of coffee by half!

5. Razors
   

Look for longer-lasting, reusable razors. Not only is this to reduce packaging but is also cheaper in the long run.

6. Grocery Bag alternatives

Instead of using multiple plastic bags every time you’re at the grocery store, try out using a high-quality collapsible crate. This is not only more sustainable but makes your shopping experience a lot easier and can usually be done in one trip to the car.

7. Bulk foods
   

Places like Bulk Barn are becoming a lot more popular nowadays. Not only can this save you money, but if you bring your own jars or cloth bags it can be zero waste as well.

8. Food Packaging
   

Supporting local businesses such as delis and produce stores will help cut down plastic waste as they usually come with less plastic packaging. The quality of food is normally also significantly higher than from supermarkets.

9. Plates and Cutlery
   

Styrofoam is not only extremely hard to recycle but is also a large culprit of microplastics as they are normally brittle. Avoiding single-use items made out of this will go a long way. Use reusable or paper when possible.

10. Support take-out restaurants that don’t use plastic containers
    

We all know that take-out restaurants are extremely convenient and are as popular as ever. While some of these places use paper take-out containers, some still use wasteful single-use plastics. It is important to try and only use paper containers and when not possible, reuse your plastics as much as possible.

11. Lower clothing shopping
    

Fast Fashion brands are a leading cause of plastic pollution. Around 85% of textiles produced every year end up in the trash. A large number of those are made from polyester, which is just PET plastic.

It is important to shop for high-quality, long-lasting clothing to lower waste and to de-incentivize these companies from producing low-quality items.