Sometimes I catch myself thinking that all the plastic that was ever created in this world is still here, somewhere, lying around – distorted. Could be a pea size something in the ocean, or a plastic bottle washed away on a deserted island. This thought is massively disturbing, especially if you notice how much plastic we actually use every day. This past year I decided to try and cut down on my waste in order to minimize my environmental footprint. Some changes are not so difficult to implement, it’s time we all started contributing in order to reduce plastic waste!
Take your own canvas or wicker bags when grocery shopping.
Refuse any plastic bag they offer you in shops, and use your own instead. I’m sure you have some tote bags at home but in case you don’t, I like these 2:
https://www.turtlebags.co.uk/shop
http://boobalou.co.uk/product/re-sack-organic-bread-bag-fruit-veg-bag/#.WlNN0FSFiCS
Get yourself a coffee cup.
If you love your take away coffee, then why not use your own cup. They usually give you some discount for that too! I recommend the Keepcups!
https://uk.keepcup.com/?country=United%20Kingdom
Give Soapnuts a try.
Soapnut is a fruit that grows in India and it has similar chemical components to soap, so when it comes in contact with warm water it foams what’s more they make great laundry soaps. Yes, it’s as simple as that. After 2-3 washes you can compost the old soapnuts.I also like to use some lavender and eucalyptus essential oils with them when I’m washing my clothes since soapnuts alone don’t have any smell. You can shop them here:
http://www.boobalou.co.uk/product/organic-soap-nuts-with-storage-bag/#.Wo5gm6huauU
Buy glass or stainless steel straws.
When you are out in restaurants, remember to kindly ask the waiter to skip the straw for your drink, and instead use your own reusable straw. You can buy a pack of them here:
Here are 2 interesting videos to watch, showcasing the extent of the problem we have with plastic waste and single use items.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74YQWthFz8g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aijm6VIFUFI&t=8s&list=PLJj1C1lUiyiLhVhVGIRPYsUL297tfr_6J&index=3
I hope you will adapt these small changes to your lifestyle, this way we can all help to minimize the amount of plastic in this world.
Love,
Melanie x
