Reducing plastic

[Lizzie 467]

I'm a big fan of recycling and have kind of started a personal war against plastic - it is honestly crazy how much plastic is accumulated from food packaging!
I would love to get your best tips on reducing plastic in your day-to-day life as well as any tips on how you manage your recyclables at home. 

Thanks! 

[Bjoern 71]

I totally agree. The amount of plastic that we accumulate is crazy! Even more with 2 kids..

We recycle everything and really try to keep an eye on not buying too many things with 2 or 3 layers of plastic on it, but still it is way too much plastic garbage. 

 

We collect all the lids that we use and recycle it in the school of my kids, to help with supportive projects in india. Apart of this we just take care to throw the plastic where it belongs, not a lot of people do this which is really stupid and sad.

 

There has opened one supermarket in Barcelona which is trying to sell without plastic packaging. i haven’t been there yet, as it is not so close to my place, but this would be something to support!

https://www.facebook.com/yesfuturepositivesupermarket/

[Bjoern 71]

and i try to get rid of articles that usually are made of plastic, like teethbrush for example. latestly i didn´t and just now that makes me feel bad and go for it again

[Calvin77 766]

I always try to carry a tote bag around with me in case I pop to the supermarket while out, as I hate having to get plastic bags. If I do, then I end up using that to put all my plastic waste in! Luckily it seems more and more stores are introducing paper bags - I hope this becomes mandatory in the future. Good idea about the toothbrushes from @Bjoern I am guilty of buying new ones every few months, so need to find a way to stop that.. any tips on a good brand?

So much fruit and vegetable is packaged, so I try to avoid buying that and only get the non-packaged stuff. I think the onus really is on supermarkets to cut their plastic use first. In the UK there's a whole 'zero-waste' revolution starting in some shops which is so inspiring: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/news/britains-best-zero-waste-shops-find/

[Candy 578]

@Calvin77 My favorite bamboo toothbrush brand is Hydrophil, but in the UK they have one called the Truthbrush which you can buy from online plastic-free shops (I can recommend you a few if you like ;))

 

[Calvin77 766]

3 minutes ago, Bethnicles said:

@Calvin77 My favorite bamboo toothbrush brand is Hydrophil,

 

OOH, they both look so nice and elegant. I will have to purchase. Thank you for the tips

[Yvonne 118]

Those are my favorite helpers so far. Like @Calvin77 mentioned I also try to use a tote bag to go shopping. Also, I use a bag to buy vegetables without plastic, a bottle that I fill with filtered water, a cup of bamboo when we do a picnic and straws made out of metal. I also stopped using liquid soaps. Most difficult for me is to reduce packaging from food like cheese, tofu or yogurt. My kids love yogurts but not that much the one with glass to make my own one I didn't find the time yet. For the other items, I still need a solution.

 

[Tine 628]

Yes, I always carry a bag.

The vegetables and fruit in the supermarket which is packed; I simply do not buy anymore. I am using a soap bar instead of shower gel which I buy in a shop unpackaged. 

For reasons unknown, I manage to always have my metal water bottle with me, so no need to buy plastic bottles, but somehow I do not manage to pack my reusable coffeecup - my solution or that is not to get a coffee to go in those cases.