TIPS TO LIVE A LIFE WITHOUT PLASTIC
We’re coming to the end of Plastic Free July and here at Little Organics, we want to do our part of promoting this worthy movement. Most of us are guilty of buying and throwing away unnecessary plastic. Let’s be honest. No matter how good our intentions are, it’s incredibly difficult to remove plastic from our lives completely. It’s a cheap material for companies to package essentials in and it’s convenient for us to throw it away in the recycling without thinking about what happens to it. Out of sight, out of mind.
No one expects you to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders and ban anything that has even a tiny piece of plastic from your household. Gosh, we’re sure you have enough to worry about as it is! In saying that, if we are going to create a better world for our little ones then we need to “be the change we want to see in the world”. As parents, we set an example for our kids to follow when they’ve grown up. Never underestimate the power you have to make a difference.
And we need to start making a difference now more than ever. It would be impossible to paint a picture of how much plastic waste is out there in the world, but needless to say… it’s a lot and it’s not going to vanish through magical thinking. Here’s a link that details some of how much disposable plastic we use on a daily basis without knowing it. We’ve listed some handy tips below to help give you some ideas about how you can reduce your plastic footprint. Don’t put pressure on yourself to follow all of them religiously if you’re not comfortable making massive adjustments. Swap out what’s right for you until your prepared to make bigger changes in your life. If you’re able to cut out one plastic habit, it will make a significant impact to the world.
.png)
Innovative Food Coverings
There’s something about clingwrap that’s brainwashed us into thinking there’s no alternative when it comes to keeping leftovers. It’s handy and convenient, but there’s better alternatives out there to keep your food fresh.
Saucepan lids and plates over the top of bowls do fine. Beeswax is another fantastic option, in fact humans had been using beeswax to store their food for centuries before plastic was invented. By buying beeswax, not only are you using an environmentally friendly alternative, you’re also supporting beekeepers.
Bees are becoming an endangered species, and industries that manufacture bee products are vital for their preservation. If you can’t get away from needing clingwrap, consider using biodegradeable ones that can be recycled with your soft plastics
Alternatives to Plastic Bags and Jars
We all know that countries everywhere have moved to a ban on single use plastic and so you see everyone carrying funky reuseable bags everytime we shop. But did you know you can extend replacing plastic bags into your home? Consider using glass jars like this great collection from IKEA for storing ingredients in. With so much focus on our environment these days, companies are releasing many other options to replace the plastic bag. Consider organic mesh bags for all your fruit and veggies that can go straight into your fridge.
BYO Cups & Cutlery
Everyone has a favourite spot for coffee or knows a café that serves wonderful food at great prices. The trouble is, sometimes we’re put off from going there because of how many plastic-lined paper cups we’ve been going through or maybe we’re not fond of the plastic cutlery they provide. You can get around this by bringing our own washable cutlery in a case. For takeaway coffees, most cafes now accept you bringing in your own reusable cups.
The Humble Toothbrush
Did you know that over a billion plastic toothbrushes are thrown away every year in the United States? This alone creates 50 million pounds of waste annually. Simply replace your toothbrush with a bamboo or cornstarch one that biodegrades, and you’re on your way to making your small footprint in reducing all the plastic toothbrushes going to landfill. Try these fabulous Bamboo toothbrushes produced by Munch.
A Straw to Last
More than half a billion plastic straws are used every day around the world. There is a large range of stainless-steel straws these days but we think these new Joco straws are a real style and a convenience super star! They even dangle on your keyring so you never forget them!
The Reusable Coffee Cup
With COVID-19 cases worldwide, getting our caffeine hit from takeaway cafes might not be the most comfortable option at the moment. Eventually though, everything will open up again one day and we can finally enjoy our afternoon coffee with peace of mind. What will give you more peace of mind, is if you aren’t relying on the plastic foam cups the coffee comes in. Now is a good time to prepare by getting a reusable cup. We’re a big fan of this stylish cup from Joco, just cause they look so good! Even if you’re not using them to buy takeaway coffee in, they’re still just as pretty at home for now. They even have an artist range.
Stop Buying Plastic Toys!
Sometimes we’ll be out shopping and naturally our little ones get bored and run into a toy section of a bargain shop. They’re cheap so parents most often will pop it into their shopping to get that little ‘yay’ squeal even though you know they will be bored after five minutes. One of the key things to remember that a lot of these toys are not only harmful to the environment but harmful to your child. Most plastic toys contain harmful toxins as you can see in this infographic.
Keep these in mind the next time you allow them to reach out for a plastic toy and try to distract their attention away to something else instead. A promise to the park or a fun game of hide and seek when we get home often gets an exciting ‘yay’ too!
Kid Cops
No matter how diligent we are with trying to abstain from plastic, we’re all prone to slip up occasionally and forget about it until we’ve arrived at the shops and then, oops! We’ve got no choice but to buy several plastic bags to put the groceries in.
You can prevent this by getting your kids to help you out with your goals to live a plastic-free life. For example, you can assign your kids with an important mission to ensure you’re always prepared when going out. They can let you know if you’ve forgotten to put bags in the car. When you go shopping, they can look at the packaging and confirm with you if it’s plastic free or not. In this way, you teach your kids to learn how to be sustainable while making your life easier. Teaching them awareness at a young age can be the greatest gift you can give them and our environment too.