18 things that you can do to reduce plastic:
- Bring Your Own Shopping Bag
- If necessary, choose paper bags.
- Purchase Secondhand
- Buy Loose & in Bulk
- Buy items you can purchase often in bulk with little to no packaging. Look for sustainable packaging options like glass or cardboard.
- Use Cloth Diapers
- 7.6 billion pounds of diapers are discarded in the U.S. each year!
- Stop Buying Bottled Water
- Ditch Straws
- If needed, use paper or metal alternatives.
- Make Your Own Cleaning Products
- Use nontoxic ingredients to improve indoor air quality and eliminate the need for multiple plastic bottle cleaners.
- Skip Products with Microbeads
- These beads pass through water treatment plants and cause harm to animals.
- Use Reusable Containers
- Skip plastic baggies or wrap. Use green durable alternatives such as glass jars, cloth produce bags, or beeswax wrap.
- Recycle!
- Cook Like a Natural
- If you cook with less processed food, you'll reduce packaging waste.
- Shave Smart
- Eliminate plastic disposal razors. Use razors with replaceable blades.
- Keep a Zero-Waste Kit
- When planning a day out, pack your travel mug, metal container, jar for leftovers, napkin, and real utensils.
- Use Natural Sponges
- Use cotton rags or cellulose sponges like loofah, hemp, or bamboo
- Skip K-cups!
- Grind your own coffee or have it ground at the store.
- Shop at a Farmers Market
- Buy fresh, local, unpackaged produce!
- Don't Trash It! Compost it!
- Composting reduces plastic garbage bags and lowers CO2 emissions. Compost helps grow unpackaged food.
- Refuse Stuff
- Tell your server you don't want a straw or brought your own cutlery or takeout container.