Going completely plastic free is hard, especially when so many of our daily essentials are made from plastic, or come wrapped in unnecessary plastic packaging. The good news is that awareness is growing, and while the world moves towards a ban on plastics, more and more companies are tapping into the demand for environmentally products and are creating sustainable solutions to help us reduce our everyday plastic use.
Here are our favourite everyday plastic free swaps to help you create plastic free, sustainable habits.
Reusable Coffee Cups
Say no to the takeaway cups and go for one that you can use over and over again.
Did you know that takeaway cups actually can’t be recycled? The plastic waterproof lining means they can’t be recycled with collections of paper and cardboard, and may actually contaminate a load, causing the whole lot to be sent to landfill!
We suggest buying a couple and keeping one in your bag, one in the car and even one at the office. Always opt for glass or ceramic over plastic reusable cups. Forgotten your cup? There’s no better excuse than to take five minutes out of your day to sit and enjoy your coffee... Tackling both self care and sustainability at once!
Our favourites are: Sol Cups, Joco, Klean Kanteen and KeepCup.
Stainless Steel Lunch Boxes
There are now so many beautifully designed containers make healthy eating easy and are a great eco-friendly alternative to mainstream plastic lunch boxes and containers.
Our favourites are: Seed & Sprout, UKonserve and Black & Blum.
Reusable Straws
As straws are only used once and then thrown away, plastic straws are one of the biggest culprits for ending up in landfill. To make things even worse, cafes and restaurants will often place not one but two straws in drinks, doubling the damage and environmental impact.
For the times when you can’t go without, you can now buy steel and bamboo straws. Most health food shops sell them and many of the steel ones now come in a handy travel pouch and with a cleaning brush, making it easier to use them on the go!
Beeswax Wraps
Beeswax wraps are an environmentally friendly alternative to cling wrap and plastic sandwich bags. You can choose from a range of different sizes, shapes and patterns, perfect for keeping foods fresh in the fridge or packing in the kids lunchboxes. Just make sure to wash in cool water to prevent the wax from melting!
Are favourite are: HoneyBee Wraps and Beewrappy.
Biodegradable Toothbrushes
It’s estimated that in Australia, 30 million toothbrushes are used and disposed of each year.. Amounting to approximately 1000 tonnes of landfill per year!
Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth and regenerates itself naturally, with minimal rain and without the need for harmful pesticides making it an incredibly sustainable replacement for plastic toothbrushes! Next time you replace your toothbrush, go for one that’s been made from biodegradable materials, such as bamboo or cornstarch.
Our favourites are: The Environmental Toothbrush and The Natural Family Co.