Top Ways to Reduce
Plastic Waste
1.
Carry reusable shopping bags.
Carry
whatever works for you. Some people like reusable canvas totes (such as those
from Eco-Bags Products orProject GreenBag.)
Others prefer to put their purchases into a backpack or messenger bag. Do you
often forget your reusable bags? ChicoBags are a great emergency alternative. While
they are made from synthetic materials, they compress into their own attached
stuff sack, which makes them very convenient and likely to be used. I carry
several of them in my purse so I am never without a bag. If you have a car,
keep your grocery bags in it and remember to bring them into the store with
you! And one more thing: reusable bags are not just for groceries! Carry them
for all your purchases, from electronics to clothing.
2. Give up bottled water.
Not
only does it come in a plastic bottle, but tremendous resources are used to
extract, bottle, and ship it. And many brands of bottled water are simply
filtered tap water. Get a reusable stainless steel bottle (Klean Kanteen has
just come out with a completely plastic-free water bottle — no plastic on the cap
at all!) or stainless steel travel mug, fill it up with tap water before
leaving the house, and refill it wherever you happen to be. I don’t recommend
reusable plastic or aluminum bottles. Plastic may leach chemicals into the
water and aluminum bottles are lined with an epoxy resin, some of which has
also found to leach into water depending on the brand. Why take a chance? Read
my posts about bottled water for more information.
Grocery Shopping
3.
Shop your local farmers market.
Farmers
markets are a great way to buy fresh, local produce without plastic, as long as
you remember to bring your own bags. Normally, the fruits and vegetables at
farmers markets don’t even have those little plastic stickerson them. And for small
fruits like berries and cherry tomatoes, use your own container or bag
and hand the vendor’s plastic container back to reuse.
Read more about farmers markets going
plastic-free.
4. Say “no” to plastic
produce bags.
They
are generally unnecessary. What are we worried about? That our apples won’t get
along with our broccoli during the trip home? Or is it that the produce will
get dirty? Hey, it grew in the dirt, and we’re going to wash it anyway, right?
At the grocery store, I put most produce directly into my cart and then into my
reusable bag.
If
you do feel you want a separate bag for produce, cloth options are available.
Some alternatives areAmbatalia, ECOBAGS, ChicoBag produce bags, Acme produce bags, or handmade bags from Etsy sellers. Check out this video
of a woman who can make five
reusable bags from one T-shirt!
Wondering
how to store your produce without plastic once you get it home? Check out this
extensive list of ways to buy and store produce without plastic. (And read
why I never use Evert Fresh green bags.)
5. Buy from bulk bins as
often as possible.
We
have some great bulk food stores here in the Bay Area (Rainbow, Berkeley Bowl, Whole Foods, for example) and I can get almost all dry
foods as well as some personal care products from the bulk bins. These foods
include rice and other grains, pasta, beans (learning to cook dried beans is an important part
of plastic-free living), seeds, nuts, all kinds of flour, baking soda and other
dry baking ingredients, cereal and granola, pretzels and chips, some candy,
tofu, oils, nut butters, olives, herbs, tea & coffee, and more things than
I can think of right now.
The
key is bringing my own reusable bags and containers with me to the store. You
can carry the same kind of cotton bags for bulk purchases as for produce (see
above.) Glass jars and other containers work great as well. Why shop from bulk
bins and take new plastic bags?
A
question I am frequently asked is how to avoid paying for the additional weight
of the container. Stores have various methods for deducting the container
weight. At Whole Foods, for example, I take my containers to the customer
service desk to have them weighed before filling. That weight is then deducted
from the total weight of the item at the checkout counter. At Berkeley Bowl,
empty containers are weighed at the Bulk Counter and then weighed again at the
same counter when full before checking out. At Rainbow Grocery, customers weigh
their own containers. And all the cotton bags that I use are printed with the
tare weight on their tags.
Concerned
about cross contamination for people with allergies? Check out my post
on avoiding gluten while still living plastic-free.
Even
if you live in an area that does not have bulk food stores, you can still buy
non-perishable goods in large size packages, which will decrease the amount of
plastic used overall.
6. Cut out sodas, juices,
and all other plastic-bottled beverages.
I’ve
made the decision to eat fresh fruit instead of buying juice. This eliminates
the need for all disposable bottles — glass as well as plastic. I don’t drink
sugary sodas, but I do like seltzer water. Especially in the summer. So I got
a Soda Stream Penguin soda maker for those times I
crave some fizz. The soda maker itself is plastic, but the carafes are glass,
and the soda maker replaces hundreds of disposable bottles. What’s more, the
reusable CO2 cartridges are returned to the manufacturer for refilling.
7. Buy fresh bread that
comes in either paper bags or no bags.
At
the farmers market or natural food stores I can buy bread that comes in only
paper. At the bakery down the street, I can have my bread placed in my own
cloth bag and avoid all packaging. Bread keeps fresh when stored in the cloth
bag inside an airtight tin. I reuse a popcorn tin that was sent to me as a gift
several years ago. Often, thrift stores have more of these tins than they know
what to do with. Fresh bread is a bit more expensive than its plastic-packaged
cousins, but to me, it’s worth it. And since I buy so few new things, I can
afford to spend more for quality, plastic-free food. See my post Fresh Bread: Buy It, Store It, Keep It Fresh Without Plastic.
8. Return containers for
berries, cherry tomatoes, etc. to the farmer’s market to be reused.
One
reader asked what I do about cherry tomatoes or berries since they can get crushed
in reusable bag. I buy them at the farmer’s market in the green plastic basket
and then return it to the farmer each week for a refill, so I never have to
take new ones. Don’t have a farmers market nearby? Ask your local grocer to
take them back. Or empty your berries into your own container before leaving
the store and leave the plastic basket behind. If enough of us do this, perhaps
merchants will take note.
9. Bring your own
container for meat and prepared foods
I
take my own containers with me to the butcher counter at Whole Foods or local
butcher shop. (While the humans in our house don’t each much meat, the kitties
do.) The butcher can weigh the container and deduct the weight, just as is done
with bulk foods. The servers at the deli/prepared foods counter can do the same
thing. Just ask.
10.
Choose milk in returnable glass bottles.
Many
areas have local dairies that provides milk in returnable glass bottles rather
than plastic or plastic-coated cardboard (yes, all cardboard milk containers
are coated inside and out with plastic, not wax.) In my area, I buyStraus milk, which is available in natural grocery
stores. Unfortunately, the milk bottle does contain an unrecyclable plastic
cap. But I would rather buy milk in a glass bottle capped with plastic than
milk contained in plastic on all sides.
11.
Buy large wheels of unwrapped cheese.
They
can be hard to find, but when I do come across plastic-free cheese, I buy the
whole thing. Going in on it with friends can make it more
affordable. Check out my instructions for storing cheese without plastic.
12.
Try to choose only wine bottled in glass with natural cork
stoppers.
This
is kind of a trial and error project since you can’t see the stopper until you
open the bottle. There’s a mobile website called Corkwatch you can use to see what kind of
stopper–plastic or natural cork–is in a particular wine bottle before you
purchase it. If you haven’t already, please read this post about endangered cork forests and why it’s important to
support them by choosing natural cork over plastic stoppers or metal screw caps
(which contain BPA in the lining.)
13.
Let go of frozen convenience foods.
This
was a hard one. I agonized for a while over which brands of frozen meals used
the best containers, but in the end there was just no sound alternative. They all use plastic. Even frozen food trays that seem
to be made of cardboard are lined with plastic. The more we limit our
consumption of frozen convenience foods, the less plastic waste we’ll generate
and the healthier we’ll be!
14.
Give up chewing gum.
Did
you know almost all chewing gum is made from plastic? That’s right. When you’re
chewing gum, you’re chewing on plastic. Read more about plastic in chewing gum here.
Eating and Drinking on
the Go
15.
Carry your own containers for take out food and leftovers.
·
Request take out places use your container instead of their
disposable one. If they won’t do it, give them aTake Out Without card to help them understand why
they should. Some examples of convenient containers are:
·
To-Go Ware tiffins and individual sidekick
containers
·
LunchBots lunch
containers
·
stainless steel containers sold at some camping supply stores
·
Think bringing your own containers is too much of a hassle and
won’t make a difference? Please check out my post “Carrying Our Own Containers: Powerful Action or Pointless
Inconvenience?”
16.
Carry a stainless steel travel mug or water bottle at all times
for coffee and other drinks while out in the world.
(I
use my travel mug for water instead of a water bottle.) Besides the plastic lid
and plastic straw, paper cups are lined with a plastic coating. When I first
began this project, I got in the habit of requesting “no lid and no straw” when
ordering a drink in a disposable paper cup. But nowadays, if I’ve forgotten my
mug, I simply do without until I can find a water fountain or sit-down cafe or
restaurant with durable cups and glasses. This process helps me to remember my
reusable mug next time.
17.
Carry reusable utensils and glass drinking straws.
I
keep a To-Go-Ware bamboo utensil set and a couple
of GlassDharma drinking straws in my purse at all
times. And actually, I didn’t need to go out and buy the bamboo. I could have
just as easily used my own stainless steel utensils. Check out blogger Mindful Momma’s cute DIY utensil wrap.
18.
When ordering pizza, say no to the little plastic “table” in the
middle of the pizza box.
It’s
called a “package saver.” Think about it. A single use plastic device meant to
save a single use cardboard box. What about all the marine animals that swallow
that type of disposable plastic? It doesn’t save them, does it? When ordering,
say, “Please don’t put that little white plastic thing in the middle of the
pizza.” They’ll know what you mean.
19.
Treat yourself to an ice cream cone.
Instead
of keeping containers of ice cream in the freezer, I will enjoy the occasional
ice cream cone while I’m out. That keeps my ice cream consumption down, which
is better for my health, and it also does away with the plastic-lined
containers as well. Ice cream cones require zero container or utensil waste. If
I do want to bring some home, I can have my ice cream handpacked in my own container.
Lunch Time at School
or Work
20.
Keep your own reusable foodware at the office.
I
brought a plate, bowl, glass, and utensils to keep at my
desk. This way, I can avoid all the disposable cups, plates, and cutlery
in the lunchroom.
21.
Carry lunches in reusable stainless containers or cloth bags.
A few
examples of good lunch container options are:
·
Life Without Plastic lunch sacks and stainless
containers
·
Eco Lunchbox containers.
·
LunchBots stainless snack and sandwich containers
·
To-Go
Ware tiffins and individual sidekick containers
·
Other options can be found at Reuseit.com.
However, be aware that this company does sell some plastic lunch kits which I
do not recommend.
22.
Choose reusable cloth sandwich/snack bags.
Read
about the many reusable cloth lunch baggie options here.
Kitchenware & Food
Storage
23.
Choose glass/stainless steel food storage containers, and reuse
what you have.
We
save nearly all glass jars and bottles for purchasing bulk foods and for
storing leftovers in the refrigerator or even the freezer. When we run out of
jars, we store leftovers in bowls with saucers on top instead of plastic wrap.
Bowls with saucers are great for stacking. We also use Anchor glass refrigerator containers to store
daily portions of our homemade cat food. More on that below. The key to
freezing foods in glass is not to fill the jar too full, since the food will
expand inside the container. The other caveat is not to heat the glass too
quickly. Let foods thaw at room temperature to avoid glass breakage.
Another
option for the refrigerator or freezer are the flat-topped airtight stainless steel containers from Life
Without Plastic. Their flat top makes them easy to stack and the fact that they
are airtight means food can be stored longer. Read about my favorite container here.
24.
Learn to preserve foods without plastic.
Read
how I freeze produce without plastic freezer bags.
You can also learn to can foods in glass jars or dehydrate produce to keep through the winter.
25.
Avoid non-stick cookware.
Cookware
coated with Teflon or other resins give off toxic perfluorochemicals when
heated. We’ve donated all of our non-stick cookware and replaced it with
stainless steel and cast iron. I did question whether it was better to donate
these unhealthy items or to trash them. In the end, I figured that if someone
was looking for non-stick, they’d buy it anyway whether I donated or not.
26.
Choose a glass blender.
Avoid
the high speed blenders that come with a plastic pitcher. Those
containers contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals. My Waring Pro is all glass and metal and works just
fine. While you’re at it, please sign my petition toask Vita-Mix to bring back the stainless steel blender pitcher it
had when the machine was first invented.
27.
Spin salad without plastic.
In
one of my favorite posts, I compare an old fashioned wire salad spinner to a plain old cotton
produce bag. It was a fun experiment.
28.
Choose a stainless steel ice cube tray.
If
your old plastic ice trays have worn out, consider replacing them with stainless steel.
29.
Use stainless steel popsicle molds.
If
you and your children enjoy popsicles in the summertime, consider investing
a stainless steel popsicle moldinstead of buying packaged
frozen treats or using plastic or silicone popsicle molds.
Make It From Scratch
30.
Make your own yogurt without a yogurt maker!.
It’s
easier than you might think, using only a Thermos, a pot, a thermometer, some
milk, and some yogurt from a previous batch. (Your first batch can be
store-bought.) See recipe and instructions here.
31.
Make your own soy milk.
If
you regularly drink soy or nut milks, you can learn to make your own, either
with a soy milk maker or on the stove. All prepared soy
milk cartons contain plastic.
32.
Make your own condiments.
Most
are not difficult. I’ve learned to make my own chocolate syrup, mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup. I squeeze fresh lemon and lime juice and
keep it in glass jars in the refrigerator. And we make our own hummus, either
from dried chick peas or from the dry mix in the bulk bin at Whole Foods.
While
it’s true that some of these condiments can be purchased in glass containers,
the homemade versions often taste better and involve less packaging waste
overall.
33.
Make your own snacks.
You
don’t have to give up crackers, energy bars, and other snacks that come
packaged in plastic if you learn to make them yourself. Read about my friend
Katie’s awesome e-book, Healthy Snacks To Go.
No More Plastic Trash
Bags
34.
Compost food waste.
I
bought a 100% recycled plastic Urban Compost Tumbler and started composting. This
solves several plastic problems. First, since we no longer put wet stuff in the
garbage, we don’t need plastic garbage bags of any kind (bio- or petro-based.)
And I can mix the compost with soil from the yard to pot my houseplants and
avoid buying potting soil in plastic bags.
Lately,
though, I have not had the time or energy to maintain my compost bin. But here
in Oakland(as well as Berkeley and San Francisco) we have city-wide composting.
We can put all of our food scraps (including meat) and food-soiled paper, along
with yard waste, into our green bins. It’s then picked up with our garbage and
taken to a commercial compost facility where our food scraps are converted into
rich soil amendments for residents and local farms.
Read
more about collecting garbage without plastic trash bags.
Household Cleaning
35.
Clean with vinegar and water.
I use
a mixture of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water as an all-purpose spray cleaner
(storing it in a reused spray bottle) and produce wash. I buy Spectrum vinegar
which comes in a glass bottle. Only the cap is plastic.
36.
Baking soda is a fantastic scouring powder.
37.
Use powdered dishwasher detergent in a cardboard box.
38.
Hand wash dishes without plastic.
Use
baking soda or bar soap. Seriously, I’ve been using baking soda to hand wash
dishes for several months now. It scours well and leaves dishes feeling squeaky
clean.
For
really tough baked-on messes, I use a Chore Boy
copper scrubber, which comes in a cardboard box with no plastic.
39.
Use natural cleaning cloths and scrubbers instead of
plastic scrubbers and synthetic sponges:
·
Compressed natural cellulose sponges are often sold without
any plastic packaging because they don’t need to be kept moist; they expand
when wet.
·
Coconut coir brushes
are great for cleaning water
bottles and scrubbing dirty dishes.
are great for cleaning water
bottles and scrubbing dirty dishes.
·
Skoy cloths are made from cotton and cellulose,
work like a cloth, absorb like a sponge, and can take the place of 15 rolls of
paper towels.
·
And of course, good old rags made from old clothing and towels
are free and probably the greenest option of all.
40.
Wash laundry with soap nuts or laundry powders without a plastic
scoop.
·
Look for soap nuts in plastic-free packaging.
·
Borax comes in a carboard box.
·
Ecover laundry powder comes with a recycled carboard scoop
instead of plastic.
·
Read all about plastic-free laundry methods here.
·
Treat laundry stains with a borax/water paste or with
a handmade laundry stain bar. Try the stain remover sticks from Juniperseed Mercantile or Buncha Farmers.
41.
A reusable Swiffer cloth is great for those of us who
already own a Swiffer mop.
If
you don’t know what a Swiffer is, don’t worry about it. It’s plastic and you
don’t need one. But if you already own a Swiffer mop, check out the reusable Swiffer cloths from Juniperseed
Mercantile .
42.
Use natural rubber gloves.
When
I needed a pair of rubber gloves (for some disgusting task — I can’t remember
what) I opted forCasabella 100% latex gloves lined with 100% cotton
flocking. Yeah, they’re girlie pink. But at least I didn’t have to buy plastic.
An even better option are If You Care brand FSC-certified natural rubber gloves.
Personal Care
43.
Check labels of personal care products!
Did
you know some facial scrubs and other personal care products contain tiny
plastic beads? Avoid anything with “polyethylene” listed as an ingredient. Read
my post Flushing Plastic Down The Drain! for more
information.
44.
Use bar soap instead of liquid hand soap.
People
sometimes worry that sharing a bar of soap is less sanitary than sharing a
bottle of liquid soap. But think about it: the bar soap gets rinsed off every
time you use it. The plastic pump? Not so much. Where do you think the most
germs are accumulating?
45.
Give up shampoo in plastic bottles.
There
are several plastic-free options.
·
The “No-Poo method uses a baking soda & water wash
and an apple cider vinegar rinse. That’s the method I use, and the number of
people who swear by it is growing.
·
If No-Poo seems too hard-core, there are solid shampoo bars you
can use. Brands include:
·
Or try a searching for shampoo + bar on Etsy.com and request that the
seller send your shampoo bar without any plastic packaging.
46.
Try hair salves and pomades in metal tins or glass jars.
My
favorite product used to be one called Product, which only contains a handful of ingredients
and came in a glass jar, albeit with a plastic cap. And then I
discovered Made-On Second Life Hair Butter, and my life changed
completely. This stuff is awesome for taming frizzies if you have curly
hair like I do.
47.
Color hair with henna purchased without plastic packaging.
Read
about how I purchase henna in bulk or in solid form without
plastic and how I mix and apply it to cover those gray hairs that make me look
older than I feel.
48.
Baking soda is the best deodorant EVER.
Instead
of deodorant in a plastic container, I use baking soda mixed with a few drops
of tea tree oil applied to dry underarms with a reusable cotton round. It works better than any
commercial deodorant I have ever used. Seriously. If you don’t think baking
soda deo is your thing, there are other options. Read my Great Big Plastic-Free Non-Toxic Deodorant Review.
But honestly? Try the baking soda first. No kidding. I would use it even
if I weren’t trying to cut down my plastic consumption.
49.
Use soap instead of canned shave cream.
There
are shave soaps especially made for that purpose (Simmons, Williams) but I’ve found that any rich soap bar will
do.
50.
Choose lotions and lip balms in plastic-free containers.
Recently,
I discovered a new company called Organic Essence, which is packaging its body lotions in
compostable cardboard jars and its lip balms in ingenious cardboard tubes that
squeeze from the end. There are also lotion bars and lip balms and glosses that
come in glass or metal containers. And I’ve also made my ownhomemade lotion, but now that Organic Essence is using
responsible packaging, I’ll leave the lotion-making to them.
51.
Switch from a plastic razor to a second hand safety razor.
I
found mine in an antique store. More on the razor and the blades here.
52.
Use less plastic tooth paste/powder, toothbrush, and floss.
·
Read about toothpaste/powder/soap choices here.
53.
Coconut oil lube.
It
really works, and its natural anti-fungal properties are particularly good for
women. But be aware the oil-based lubes don’t play well with latex.
54.
Choose toilet paper that’s not wrapped in plastic.
Seventh
Generation recycled individually wrapped toilet paper can be ordered by the
case through Amazon.com. It comes in a cardboard box without
any plastic wrapping. Evergreen and Bumboosa are also plastic-free brands.
55.
Use plastic-free feminine hygiene products
Some of the options include washable cloth
liners and pads. One great brand is Luna Pads, which are made with organic
cotton. Or search for cloth + menstrual + pads on Etsy.com. Remember to ask
the seller to ship with no plastic packaging.
Some
women prefer the Diva Cup, which can be washed and reinserted.
56.
Look into plastic-free sunscreen options.
I’ve
found two great plastic-free sunscreens: Balm! Baby and Avasol. Read about them here. Several readers have
offered other options. Check out my May 7, 2010 post and especially the
comments for plastic-free sunscreen alternatives.
57.
Choose a plastic-free wooden hair brush.
Read
about my new plastic-free wooden hairbrush with wooden bristles here.
Medication and
Healthcare
58.
Find Do-It-Yourself alternatives for over-the-counter remedies.
Last
winter, I tried making my own homemade cough syrup and looked into natural remedies
for heartburn. Lately, I’ve been checking into herbs that can be used to
promote sleep. I also learned to do acupressure to treat a headache. Take a look at
my favorite plastic-free cold remedies.
59.
Use handkerchiefs instead of paper tissue.
I’ve
never seen a Kleenex box without any plastic window. More importantly, we can
avoid all waste by opting for reusable hankies. Some people make their own out
of old t-shirts and cloth diapers. I found lots of hankies at a thrift shop.
Another ingenious idea is the HankyBook, which makes carrying a cloth hanky so much
neater.
Travel
60.
Bring your own water bottle — even on the plane!
Many
people don’t know it’s actually fine to bring your own water on a plane. You
just can’t bring water through airport security. So what do you do? Bring an
empty water bottle through security and fill it up at the drinking fountain on
the other side. It’s really okay. In fact, it’s what musician Jackson Browne does!
61.
Bring your own snacks.
Avoid
plastic-packaged food. Bring your own sandwiches or containers of fruit, cut
veggies, trail mix, or other snacks. But avoid liquid or semi-solid foods when
flying.
62.
Bring your own utensils.
Why
should traveling be any different than staying at home? If you’re remembering
to bring your own utensils while at home, don’t forget them when you go away.
63.
Bring your own travel mug.
I’ve
traveled to many different states in theU.S.and never had a problem getting my
mug filled. In fact, most cafes these days will give a discount for bringing
your own mug. And your mug can come in handy in hotels that provide plastic or
Styrofoam cups in the room instead of real glasses.
64.
Don’t forget your headphones.
When
flying, bring your own headphones. Most planes will offer you new headphones in
plastic packaging, but you won’t need those if you come prepared with your own.
65.
Bring your own personal care products.
Skip
the free travel size shampoos, soaps, and lotions offered by hotels. Just
because they’re free doesn’t mean we should take them. What is the true cost of
“free” when the environment is at stake? Instead, fill up your own reusable
travel- size containers at home. If you’re not checking baggage, make sure they
fit in your regulation zip lock bag (U.S.residents).
66.
Refuse the mini bar.
Mini
bar snacks and drinks are incredibly expensive. And they all come in plastic
packages or bottles. Find real food to eat. Do a little grocery shopping when
you reach your destination and stock your hotel room with healthy snacks in
less packaging. Even if you can’t avoid plastic entirely, you can resist
single-serving sizes.
Plastic-Free Pet Care
67.
Choose natural cat litter.
Integrity
cat litter is made from wheat and comes in a paper bag.
It’s also certified flushable. We feel okay about flushing our cats’ poop
because they’ve tested negative for toxoplasma gondii and they are indoor-only
cats. If you live inCalifornia, you should not flush cat poop unless you
know for sure it is free of the parasite toxoplasma gondii, which is
harmful to sea otters. Outdoor cats are susceptible because they pick it
up from rodents.
68.
Choose pet toys/furniture made from natural materials instead of
plastic.
·
Purrfect Play makes beautiful all-natural toys
made from wool and catnip.
·
I’ve also found all natural wool, leather, coconut, and feather
cat toys at my local pet shop recently.
·
But the best cat toys of all? Wine corks, hands down. The real
ones, of course. I don’t let my cats play with plastic.
·
We found a bamboo/sisal scratching post instead of synthetic
carpet
·
Cardboard cat scratchers are great
·
This natural wood/sisal over-door climber is very
sturdy and doesn’t contain any synthetic chemicals that can off gas into our
home our the bodies of our pets.
·
Our most economical cat climber? We cleared off most of the flat
surfaces in our home (tops of book shelves, etc.) so that our cats could roam
and climb to their hearts’ content.
69.
Avoid plastic bowls.
Did
you know plastic food/water bowls cause pet acne?
70.
Buy secondhand pet supplies instead of new.
We
found our cat litter boxes and plastic cat carrier boxes through Craigslist and
from thrift stores. They are plastic. But they are not new plastic!
71.
Learn to make homemade pet food without much plastic.
We
make our cat food from scratch instead of buying BPA-lined cans that come
shrink-wrapped in plastic or dry pet food in bags lined with plastic. Our
recipe does include a supplement powder that comes in a plastic bottle, but it
lasts two months. Read more about our less plastic homemade cat food here.
Get it Fixed!
72.
Repair things when they break.
When
a plastic item breaks, try to repair it instead of buying a new one.
I’m
trying to conserve as many of the tools and appliances that I already own
instead of allowing them to become obsolete or chucking them when they break.
Buy Secondhand
73.
Acquire necessary plastic items used instead of new.
Check
second-hand stores, Freecycle, Craigslist or borrow. Car-sharing. Tool-lending. I have no problem acquiring second-hand
plastic. I think it’s always good to give things as many uses as possible
before sending them to the landfill or recycling center. I also look for items
made from recycled plastic, for the same reason. Here’s a partial list of
plastic items I’ve acquired second hand since my plastic project began:
·
Plastic cat litter boxes and cat carriers via Freecycle and
thrift shops
·
Computer monitor from Craigslist when my old one
broke and couldn’t be repaired
·
Power strips via Freecycle
·
Laptop computer from secondhand electronics store
Packing and Shipping
Materials
74.
Request zero plastic packaging when ordering online.
I’m
trying to buy fewer things in general, but vendors do sometimes send me
products to review for this blog. When that happens, I include a message to the
seller requesting zero plastic or Styrofoam packaging, including plastic tape.
(See my packaging policy here.) When this doesn’t work,
I’ve started to send back unwanted plastic packaging with a letter of
explanation. And I send back unwanted plastic I receive unsolicited in the mail
or on my doorstep. Here are some examples of innovative zero waste
packing materials:
·
Reused packing materials from packages sent to you. Before
buying new packaging material, use what you already have.
·
Yesterday’s News padded mailers made from recycled
newspaper fiber
·
Jiffy padded mailers (the kind with paper pulp
padding rather than plastic bubble padding)
·
EcoCradle molded packing material made from mushrooms
·
Expandos
Read
more about plastic-free packaging materials here.
75.
Get off mailing lists to reduce plastic envelope windows.
I
have switched to online billing, online statements, canceled subscriptions, and
called to have my name removed from mailing lists. I want to save paper as well
as plastic. TrustedID (formerly known as Catalog Choice) can
help.
In the Office
76.
Make your own glue.
Here’s
a recipe for homemade wheat paste that really works.
77.
Avoid disposable plastic pens.
I use
pencils as much as possible and for times when a pen is necessary, I have
switched to a refillable fountain pen with a cartridge converter
that allows me to refill the pen from a bottle of ink rather than buying new
plastic cartridges.
Electronics &
Entertainment
78.
Look for secondhand electronics, games, and toys first.
There
are so many useful products already in existence that have been gently used and
need a good home. Read about the awesome secondhand computer I bought when my old one wore
out.
79.
Choose refurbished equipment from a certified e-steward.
Learn
how you can do your part to combat “planned obsolescence.”
80.
Take care of what you have already.
Often
we can avoid buying new stuff by keeping the stuff we do have in good
condition. I learned this lesson the hard way when I broke my laptop screen through a stupid accident
that could have been easily avoided.
81.
Avoid buying new CDs and DVDs.
They
are made from polycarbonate plastic, after all. Instead, I download music and
movies and borrow DVDs from Netflix or the library.
82.
Learn to recycle old disks.
You
can recycle old disks. But
keep in mind that recycling is no substitute to reducing what you buy in the
first place.
83.
Choose healthier electronics.
Try
to find electronics secondhand rather than buying new plastic, but when you do
have to buy new electronic gadgets, choose those that have the least packaging
and toxic materials. For example, thinksound ear buds are PVC-free, made from wood,
and come packaged with almost no plastic.
84.
Find DIY solutions for techno needs.
For
example, I knitted a cover for my iPod instead of buying a
plastic one, and I crocheted new headphone ear pads when the foam on
my old headphones wore out.
Gift Giving and
Receiving
85.
Learn strategies for green gift-giving.
Give
only what will be truly appreciated. Opt for experiences or services (like
restaurant meals, tickets to events, your help with a task) over stuff.
Read my Guide: Green Gifts Don’t Have to Suck to learn more.
86.
Consider giving charitable gift cards.
But
choose wisely and plastic-free. Read my comparison of charitable gift cards here.
87.
Request plastic-free gifts for yourself.
It
can be challenging to ask friends and family not to give
you new plastic. But it can be done in a kind way. If you don’t
need any new things, request a donation to your favorite charity,
perhaps.
88.
Find ways to wrap gifts without plastic tape.
Here’s a method I discovered for myself. And use paper tape for other types of packaging needs.
Of course, reusing gift bags, reusing wrapping paper, and wrapping presents in
reusable cloth bags or furoshiki are the best options.
Holidays and
Entertaining
89.
Bring your own beverage container & ustensils to parties and
events.
If
you’re not sure whether the host will offer real dishware or disposable
plastic, discreetly bring your own. Or be less discreet, depending on
your relationship with the host. I carry a little stainless steel wine glass (which is good for
events where glass is not allowed) and bamboo utensils with me, just in case.
90.
Throw a Zero Waste party.
Here’s an example. Provide durable dishes,
glasses, utensils. Ask guests to bring their own dishes or at least
cups. Stock up on thrift store utensils and mugs (mixing and matching
crazy mugs can be fun) especially for parties. Request no plastic
cling-wrap on potluck offerings.
91.
Re-think your Christmas tree.
Most
artficial trees are made from toxic PVC. Opt for a real,
sustainably-grown and harvested tree, a live tree that can be planted, or an
artificial tree made from natural materials. There are “trees” made
from recycled cardboard, wood, or even recycled glass bottles.
92.
Skip holiday plastic tchotkes.
No New Plastic
Clothing
93.
Choose natural fibers.
So
much new clothing these days is made from synthetic materials with names like:
polyester, acrylic, lycra, spandex, nylon. In other words, plastic fabric. When
buying new clothes, I look for organic cotton, hemp, ethically-raised wool, and
other natural fibers. I avoid conventional cotton because of pesticides used to
grow it. Sometimes the best place to find these materials is online. One of my
favorite sources is Hempest.com. Just be sure and request no plastic
packaging when placing your order.
94.
Shop thrift stores.
Buying
gently-used secondhand clothing and shoes is a good way to get the styles you
want without buying new plastic — except of course for that inevitable tag
hanger! It’s also a lot less expensive than buying new.
95.
Make your own clothes.
Um…
as someone who is afraid of the sewing machine, I can’t really elaborate on
this one. But I know a lot of you crafty crafters are up for it. Be sure and
choose natural fabrics.
96.
Look for plastic-free shoes.
For
example, Feelgoodz flip flops are made from natural rubber
rather than plastic.
97.
Choose ethical underwear.
You
may not be able to find underwear that is completely plastic-free, but look for
styles/brands that contain a high percentage of natural fibers. I like PACT organic underwear because they are made from
95% organic cotton, are packaged in compostable bags, and support non-profit
organizations.
Camping and Outdoors
98.
Choose plastic-free camping equipment.
Going
to Burning Man two years in a row forced me to seriously consider alternatives
to plastic camping supplies. I found:
·
A secondhand double-walled 10-gallon container for water (also
eBay)
·
A mostly cotton tent
·
And more…
Avoid unnecessary
plastic around the house
99.
Stop buying plastic water filter cartridges unless necessary.
We
had our water tested to find out if we even needed to be filtering it in the
first place. Turns out, our Oaklandwater is fine without a filter. So we can
avoid plastic water filter cartridges from now on. For those who do need to
filter their water, Brita has teamed up with Preserve to create a way to
recycle the plastic cartridges. Here are the details: brita.com
If You Do Nothing Else
100.
Avoid the Worst Plastics
If
you do nothing else, try to steer clear of Polyvinyl Chloride (#3 PVC),
Polystyrene (#6 PS), & Polycarbonate (#7 Other). PVC is found in
many, many products and causes a whole host of environmental problems. Read my
post about the problems of PVC. PS contains styrene, which is toxic to
the brain and nervous system. PC contains BPA. Read more about BPA here. If you must use plastic, make
sure it’s not #3, #6, or #7 polycarbonate. (Note: #7 is a catch-all for many
types of plastic that doesn’t fit into the first six categories. Biodegradable
plastic is also labeled #7. So when in doubt, ask.)
Note:Shared from
myplasticfreelife.com
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