Reducing plastic in your daily life

Have you looked around your house lately? Have you noticed the amount of one-use plastics in your home? If you know me, you know that I am a big believer in trying to reduce plastic waste.

Did you know that most plastics are not even recycled? Those little numbers inside the recycling logo on the bottom of your plastics really do mean something. Typically, only the PET (#1) and HDPE (#2) get recycled, and that may not even happen if the products are labeled as contaminated. (read more about all of this nonsense here) This really has fueled a fire in me to do what I can to reduce plastics in my own life. I’m going to highlight some easy switches to make and some amazing products that I found I actually love more than the ones that come in plastic. (I am not getting paid to say any of this by any of these brands, I just really like them!)

Let’s start in the bathroom. Seriously, go look in there. So. Much. Plastic! This is what really made me decide to change my ways. First, in the shower, I switched to all bar soap and swapped my loofa for a washcloth. I love the Shea Moisture shampoos and this Bar None conditioner is the best so far! I also switched my face soaps, exfoliants, and lotions to this pack from Ethique. My dental routine uses the toothbrush and floss pick from Quip. Not only is it practical, but their designs are so beautiful! My cotton swabs have switched to The Last Swab, a reusable Q-tip. (much less gross than it seems!) I am still in the process of finding a deodorant that I like that is refillable or in a cardboard tube.

Switching to kitchen and household items, I want to start with Who Gives A Crap paper products. I get their tp, paper towels, and tissues delivered on a subscription. These products are made out of bamboo rather than trees. As an added bonus, they have really cute designs on their paper wrapped products! I now use Cleancult liquid dish and hand soap after trying soap tabs that dissolve in water (which I did not like). I also use Beyond natural dishwasher tablets and I have been overwhelmed at how fantastic they work! For garbage and dog poop bags I make sure to use a compostable plastic. When shopping for produce and such, be sure to take reusable bags as well as reusable produce bags. These are so helpful and one of the easiest switches to make. Once you get that food home you may need to store it. I suggest using Bee’s Wrap, a piece of cotton dipped in bees wax, to help preserve your food. Stasher silicone containers are another really nice way to store those food items. Last, let’s step into our laundry room. Laundry strips are a great alternative to the wasteful plastic bottles and containers of pods. I enjoy these Breezo strips, they smell great and are cheaper then many other brands. Dryer balls are another one of the easiest switches to make. I use these cute little guys with faces that my aunt bought me for Christmas one year!

I really hope that this blog post makes you want to make a change in your lifestyle habits. Start small, do not overwhelm yourself. But remember, every little change can help. So spread the word!