5 plastic free swaps
Plastic Free July is here! Are you joining? You don’t need to go a 100% plastic free to participate! Remember, sustainability is about progress, not perfection. We don’t need to be perfectly plastic free, perfectly zero waste, or perfectly vegan to make a difference. We can all do our part to help take care of our earth.
When looking to live more sustainably, a great first step is looking at what choices can have the most impact. What areas of your life have the biggest carbon footprint? What products do you buy most frequently that would be best served by a sustainable swap? So, in spirit of plastic free July, I’m sharing 5 of the most impactful plastic free swaps I’ve made.
REFILLABLE WATER BOTTLE. I mean this is a no brainer. 50 billion plastic bottles are purchased every year, requiring up to 17 million barrels of oil. The average American could save 156 plastic bottles a year by switching to a reusable. My favorite is the Bink water bottle. I swear it helps me drink more water throughout the day too!
Photo credit: binkmade.com
REUSABLE GROCERIES BAGS: If your State doesn’t already require this, this can have major impact. Not only are the single use plastic bags terrible for marine life, they take up to 1,000 years to degrade in a landfill, turning into micro plastics that continue to pollute our planet. If you already use reusable bags, try adding reusable produce bags for your next plastic free swap. These cotton ones are great and come in multiple sizes.
REUSABLE COFFEE MUG: Yup. There are plastics in your coffee cup. To go cups are mostly paper but lined with a Polyethylene layer to keep the hot coffee from leaking through. This not only means that these cups are likely leaching chemicals into your coffee, but also means that they are NOT recyclable. My go to mug is Stojo - they are super cute, convenient for traveling, and affordable!
Stojo in hand!
REFILLABLE HAND SOAP: not the most exciting swap I know, but an easy, economic, environmental, and aesthetic one! Refillable soap containers look way cuter than the plastic versions and will save you money! Refill them at your local zero waste store or buy plastic free refills from conscious companies like Cleancult or Blueland.
REFILLABLE CLEANING PRODUCTS: this swap not only cuts down on your plastic use but simplifies your life. One concentrate is used to make your glass cleaner, all purpose cleaner, and bathroom cleaner. I’ve been using Branch Basics for a long time now and love it. It cleans super well without any of the nasty chemical smell.
