Disclaimer: This list is not a perfect be all and end all and I am still learning how to live the most sustainable life possible while still maintaining some balance. This list will be updated over time if my thoughts change. Please leave any suggestions or thoughts you have in the comments below.
I do not live a perfect plastic free life but I do what I realistically can and I encourage you to do the same. Realistically there are usually a couple of items in my weekly shop wrapped in plastic as I do not always have the time to visit various different stores but I try to be conscious of my plastic consumption and keep this number low.
“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” - Anne Marie Bonneau
Where to start:
Use a reusable water bottle instead of purchasing disposable ones. Many coffee shops will now fill up your water bottle for you for free.
Take a reusable flask or cup to a coffee shop instead of using their disposable cups. Disposable coffee cups are made of a mixture of paper and plastic. They cannot be recycled, and do not decompose quickly.
Use reusable tote bags when shopping, instead of using plastic bags. I keep a tote bag rolled up in my handbag at all times.
For all reusable items, their carbon footprint is only lower than its plastic counterpart when used over and over again. It is likely that you already own some. Please use these instead of going out an purchasing new reusable items.
Food:
Buy bread from a bakery or a bakery counter in a shop using a reusable or paper bag.
Buy fruit and vegetables loose from shops or green groceries, using reusable bags.
Buy soup and other pre-prepared food in tins. Tins are extremely recyclable.
Buy drinks in cans.
Buy chocolate that is wrapped in foil and card.
Buy sweets from pick and mix stations.
Switch to loose leaf tea. Many tea bags contain plastic.
Buy dried foods such as rice, pasta and cereals at refill stores.
Buy oil at refill stores.
Products I simply avoid purchasing: pre-made sandwiches, ready meals, cakes, biscuits, crisps.
N.B. I eat a plant based diet and therefore do not buy meat and hardly ever buy dairy.
In the Kitchen:
Stop using clingfilm. Use tin foil or beeswax wraps instead. Or store food in reusable containers. Plates in the fridge can also be covered with an upside bowl.
Replace your washing up cloth with a natural loofah.
Replace paper towels with reusable cloths.
Buy cleaning products in large refill bottles to minimise waste or refill at zero waste stores.
In the Bathroom:
Replace body wash with bars of soap or find a refill station where you can refill your bottle.
Replace shampoo and conditioner with shampoo and conditioner bars or find a refill station where you can refill your bottle.
Buy skincare from sustainable brands such as Lush or Beauty Kitchen where you can return used packaging.
Replace your razor with a reusable saftey razor.
Replace Cotton Pads with reusable cloth rounds. You can just chuck them in the washing machine with the rest of your clothes, mine came with a net bag for doing this.
Replace your deodorant with a natural one in a cardboard packaging. I find this is okay for day to day use, especially in winter when it is colder but I still use a normal aerosol deodorant or hotter days or when doing exercise etc.
Replace your hairbrush with a bamboo one. I bought mind from Nature & My via The Kind Store.
Replace your toothbrush with a bamboo one. I bought mind from Truthbrush via The Kind Store.
Replace your lip balm with one that comes in a cardboard tube.
Replace Cotton buds with bamboo or paper ones. Or simply stop using them altogether.
Products I have simply stopped purchasing: Toner, Micellar Water, Cotton Pads, Cotton Buds.
Technology:
Replace your phone case with a compostable one.
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