I’m going to start this blog by telling you something you might not be expecting to hear: you are not a bad person for using plastic. You do not have to be perfectly 100% plastic free. You don’t have to eliminate every piece of plastic from your life overnight… or ever!!
Controversial, but plastic isn’t the enemy - when used responsibly. If you attempt to recycle every tupperware container you get with a takeaway, it just contributes to the problem. If you reuse that tupperware 100 times, you’re doing a good thing! If you choose to limit the amount of takeaways to reduce the amount of boxes you have in the first place, that's even better. It’s always better to REDUCE, then REUSE, and as a **last resort**, RECYCLE! Some things need to be made plastic, because it gives that item longevity. Which is far better than replacing the product over and over again.
However, we can’t deny that plastic is a problem. Single use, especially, is a scourge on our planet, even if recycled. Fun (not) fact: only 40% of plastic that gets put in the recycling just ends up being incinerated anyway(1). Very cool!)
Plastic Free July is about reducing your plastic consumption, and being more mindful of it. To set out on a task to completely remove every piece of plastic from your life is not just difficult - it’s impossible. Striving for perfection will only dishearten you - do what you can, and that is enough!
Look around you now, how much plastic can you see? The most important follow-up question is this: how much of the plastic you see could be replaced by something more sustainable, but equally as fit for purpose? That’s where you’re looking to cut down.
So, without further ado, here are some easy swaps to make your life a little (or a lot - your call!) more plastic free.
REFILLS
Surprise, surprise, here I am to tell you that the best way to reduce your plastic waste is to… not buy it in the first place. Do you have a plastic washing up liquid bottle at home? Do you have some dregs left at the bottom of a shampoo bottle? Got some lonely tupperware sat at the back of the cupboard that could be put to better use? BRING IT HERE!! We have a HUGE range of refills: oats, flours, sugars, nuts, seeds, sweets, chocolate, oils, soy sauce, grains, pulses, rice … shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, hand soap … toilet cleaner, floor cleaner, surface cleaner, laundry liquid, washing up liquid, fabric conditioner, rinse aid, white vinegar… are you bored of this list? Better pop in to the shop to look at them all and refill them instead, that’s much more fun, I promise!
REUSABLE WATER BOTTLES/COFFEE CUPS
Look. If you don’t have one of these by now, I actually don’t know what to say to you. It’s SO easy and convenient. It will IMPROVE your life to have one of these. You’ll save money in the long run (I promise) - on bottles of water (ew) that you no longer have to buy, and some coffee shops offer discounts if you bring your own cup. Plus if you shop our Chilly’s range, you will find a design/colour that speaks to your soul and brings you joy every time you look at it. Frankly, the hardest part of this is choosing the one you like the most. The second hardest bit is stopping you from buying one for every day of the week.
Shop Chilly’s here: https://myzerolifestyle.co.uk/collections/chillys
REUSABLE BAGS
Again, it seems like an obvious one. After the 20p plastic bag charge came in a few years ago (solidarity to all fellow supermarket workers who got the brunt of that), it’s just a no-brainer to take your own bag to the supermarket. Kind Bags are amazing, they fold down to a little pouch so you can stuff it in your bag/pocket/down your bra and never be without it. I also love these mesh bags because you can fill it with loose veg and plastic-free goodies and everyone will go “wow, what an eco warrior, I wish I was like him/her/them” whenever you walk past. Win-win.
BAMBOO TOOTHBRUSHES
Did you know that every toothbrush you’ve ever owned still exists somewhere? They don’t naturally decompose and they are not recyclable. We’re here to tell you that there’s an alternative: bamboo toothbrushes!
I highly recommend these toothbrushes from Toothbuckle: they’re a Black-, female-owned independent family business and their toothbrushes are 100% compostable - even the bristles!
Find some plastic-free toothpaste to go along with it here!
SOLID SHAMPOOS/CONDITIONERS/SOAPS
Bars of soap are not an up-and-coming innovation; we’ve been using them for hundreds (possibly even thousands) of years. So why it’s taken this long to apply the same logic to washing our hair, I don’t know. All I know is, they’re a gamechanger. We stock one type of shampoo bar - because we’re THAT confident in how good it is. You will not need (or want) to use anything else to clean your hair! They smell amazing, they’re easily transportable, they last longer and take up less room than a shampoo bottle. They don’t leave any residue on the hair, and there’s no transition period while your hair gets used to it, so they’re perfect for first-time users!
Our conditioner bars have all the same benefits of a shampoo bar, and they come in multiple mouthwatering fragrances. I especially love the lemon, which matches the citrussy scent of our shampoo bars perfectly. They’re made with environmental sustainability in mind, and they’re produced locally in Devon.
CHANGE HOW YOU SHOP
Now this one is a big one; it takes time to change habits and might not be something you can complete in a month. But that’s okay! Plastic Free July can (and should) take place all year, every year. You can start small and build it up: choose the olive oil that’s in a glass bottle, rather than the plastic one; choose the loose veg in the supermarket rather than the pre-packaged; head to the bakery for fresh bread wrapped in paper rather than plastic; add a refill shop into your routine when you need a top-up; shop locally in a few shops rather than doing it all in one big supermarket shop.
There’s no right or wrong way to do this - the point is you do what works for you, when you can do it. Doing something is better than nothing! And in the process, you may find that you’re doing more than just reducing your plastic - you’re supporting the local economy and smaller businesses!
GO PLASTIC FREE IN THE KITCHEN
The kitchen is probably the place where we produce the most plastic - cleaning products, food, microplastics from sponges to name a few. Why not try to make small, gradual changes here to see how much difference it makes?
You could swap your standard kitchen sponge for a biodegradable, compostable sponge or even a dish brush with a replaceable head. You can bring your washing up liquid into store to refill, ditto with many other cleaning products (have you read my blog about bicarb, citric acid and white vinegar yet? If not, you should!). You can use whatever suits you, whether it’s wipes, scourers or scrubbing brushes - you can even opt for a solid dishwashing bar! Check out our fully range of kitchen cleaning here.
PERSONAL CARE
If the kitchen is the room that produces the most plastic, then personal care must be the act that is most wasteful. It’s pretty difficult to find a moisturiser or SPF that isn’t in a plastic tube. Most cotton buds are still made with plastic, and can be super toxic to marine life - have you seen that photo of the seahorse with one? Heartbreaking. You have to go out of your way to find a deodorant that doesn’t come in a spray or roll on form, both of which have their flaws. And, as mentioned earlier, toothbrushes (or toothpaste tubes) don’t decompose. Disposable razors are prevalent, and most likely end up costing you (and the planet) more.
We proudly stock Upcircle here - not only is their packaging plastic free, but it can also be refilled for a fraction of the cost. We have reusable make up pads and wipes which are multi-purpose, cotton buds made of bamboo which are biodegradable, plastic-free deodorant options, mineral make-up, locally-made soaps, reusable razors and solid shave soaps, and a whole range of toothpaste options (tabs? paste? in a tub? in a tube? fluoride? fluoride free? You choose!). We even have dry shampoo, and eco glitter for festival season.
Pick something that appeals to you, test it out, see how you get on. Then you can start slowly building up your arsenal of plastic free personal care products - you’ll smell and look amazing and the planet will thank you.
LAUNDRY
You can reduce your plastic and save on your shopping by trying our laundry options. We also have a blog post about this to help you make up your mind - you can refill on laundry liquid, you can use powder, try out laundry sheets, or grab one of the very popular EcoEggs. We even have a solid stain remover bar to pre-treat heavily soiled items (it gets turmeric out - need i say more?) and it can be used for handwashing too! We love multipurpose items! Explore your laundry options here.
KICK UP A FUSS
Finally - sometimes you’ve just got to do it! Be difficult! Demand that your local supermarket sells fewer plastic items! Refuse to buy the peppers in a 3-pack wrapped in cellophane and get the loose ones instead! Write to the council, your MPs, your favourite toothpaste company - tell them you want change, and that you won’t relent until they do!
So there you have it. By no means an exhaustive list, but hopefully a few simple swaps that will help you on your journey. How is your Plastic Free July going so far? Do you have any more tips for us? We'd love to hear from you!
Sources
- OECD