New Tips for Giving Up Plastic: What I've Learned So Far
Hello friends,
It's been another while, but I'm getting back on track.
Living disposable plastic free gets much easier with time and effort, and soon enough you adjust into new habits. There are a few areas that I still struggle with which are mainly due to being unprepared or not having enough time, like in an airport or at a concert venue. However, I have learned so much over the past 3 months, and thought it would be good to let you know some of the tricks and tips I now know, as well as products I use that are really helpful.
Last month I received a lovely care package from my mum which included lots of plastic-free bits that I'm really excited about. Firstly, she gave me a book which I had been looking to buy anyway so it was all a happy coincidence that I hadn't already put an order in. The book is called "How to Give Up Plastic" (basically making this blog redundant). It is written by Will McCallum, who works for Greenpeace UK. The book breaks down simple changes you can make to your lifestyle to give up plastic, from convenience food to children's parties, and is super easy to read. Buy it, pass it on, give it as gifts, go WILD. You can even buy it as an e-book, for a less wasteful and cheaper option! https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Give-Plastic-spokesperson-anti-plastic
My mum also sent me some bamboo toothbrushes, which I have previously mentioned, and some beeswax wraps. They are washable wraps that act as an alternative to cling film. They're particularly good when you don't have much fridge space and can't go overboard on the Tupperware. I haven't used mine yet but will do so very soon, so I will let you know how it goes. Apparently, you can make your own bee's wraps, so I'm likely to attempt that at some point. They are on offer on Amazon at the moment, so if you were thinking of trying them out now's a great time: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bees-Wrap-Assorted-Wraps-Beige (As a side note: they smell AMAZING).
I'm also 3 months into using reusable sanitary wear, and have fully acclimatised. I will never ever go back to using disposable sanitary wear, and it doesn't take very long to adjust your habits to accommodate them. I would love to hear whether people have been also trying this, and what experience you've had!
I've now started using a new toothpaste from Georganics (https://georganics.co.uk/). It comes in a giant tub with a little bamboo spatula. I'm undecided how I feel about this toothpaste at the moment. The taste is not the nicest, though I'm willing to compromise on that for reduced use of plastic. I am interested to see whether it does a good job and how long the pot lasts. I'm sure by the time I've got to the end of it I won't mind the taste anymore. Before I used this toothpaste, I had been using Toothy Tabs from Lush, which tasted a lot better, but did come in a recycled plastic container. Although the pot was recylable, I was interested to try other options which led me to Georganics. When I ordered from Georganics they had an offer on first orders which meant that I got free plastic-free dental floss. If you are someone who flosses then definitely try them, they're really good. When my package from Georganics arrived, I was pleased that the packing material was all planet friendly, though met the toothpaste tub with anger as it was covered in a "plastic" wrap. However, I believe this wrap to be cellulose-based, so should be biodegradable (which doesn't necessarily mean good!), and am looking into this at the moment.
I've also started using a safety razor for the very rare occasions that I do shave! I managed to get mine on a really good deal, so my razor and blades didn't come to much over £25 in the end (definitely worth it for a lifetime supply of shaving). Annoyingly, my razor came in plastic wrapping, which is the biggest issue with ordering offline. Once you understand how they work, and know to go carefully, they work very well. Switching to a safety razor such an easy change to make and they really aren't as scary as they look (actually they are pretty swanky), so if you are going to make any kind of effort in reducing plastic, make sure you order one!
I've also been making sure to pick up plastic that would usually go to waste and re-use it: packaging from deliveries at work can be used as bin bags etc. Just be resourceful!
Finally, I've got round to ordering food from the deli at Tesco and asking for it in my own container which was met with confusion, but we got there eventually. I've heard that Morrisons is actively encouraging this, and are phasing out their plastic veg bags too.
Thanks for reading.
Liv
It's been another while, but I'm getting back on track.
Living disposable plastic free gets much easier with time and effort, and soon enough you adjust into new habits. There are a few areas that I still struggle with which are mainly due to being unprepared or not having enough time, like in an airport or at a concert venue. However, I have learned so much over the past 3 months, and thought it would be good to let you know some of the tricks and tips I now know, as well as products I use that are really helpful.
Last month I received a lovely care package from my mum which included lots of plastic-free bits that I'm really excited about. Firstly, she gave me a book which I had been looking to buy anyway so it was all a happy coincidence that I hadn't already put an order in. The book is called "How to Give Up Plastic" (basically making this blog redundant). It is written by Will McCallum, who works for Greenpeace UK. The book breaks down simple changes you can make to your lifestyle to give up plastic, from convenience food to children's parties, and is super easy to read. Buy it, pass it on, give it as gifts, go WILD. You can even buy it as an e-book, for a less wasteful and cheaper option! https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Give-Plastic-spokesperson-anti-plasticMy mum also sent me some bamboo toothbrushes, which I have previously mentioned, and some beeswax wraps. They are washable wraps that act as an alternative to cling film. They're particularly good when you don't have much fridge space and can't go overboard on the Tupperware. I haven't used mine yet but will do so very soon, so I will let you know how it goes. Apparently, you can make your own bee's wraps, so I'm likely to attempt that at some point. They are on offer on Amazon at the moment, so if you were thinking of trying them out now's a great time: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bees-Wrap-Assorted-Wraps-Beige (As a side note: they smell AMAZING).
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I've now started using a new toothpaste from Georganics (https://georganics.co.uk/). It comes in a giant tub with a little bamboo spatula. I'm undecided how I feel about this toothpaste at the moment. The taste is not the nicest, though I'm willing to compromise on that for reduced use of plastic. I am interested to see whether it does a good job and how long the pot lasts. I'm sure by the time I've got to the end of it I won't mind the taste anymore. Before I used this toothpaste, I had been using Toothy Tabs from Lush, which tasted a lot better, but did come in a recycled plastic container. Although the pot was recylable, I was interested to try other options which led me to Georganics. When I ordered from Georganics they had an offer on first orders which meant that I got free plastic-free dental floss. If you are someone who flosses then definitely try them, they're really good. When my package from Georganics arrived, I was pleased that the packing material was all planet friendly, though met the toothpaste tub with anger as it was covered in a "plastic" wrap. However, I believe this wrap to be cellulose-based, so should be biodegradable (which doesn't necessarily mean good!), and am looking into this at the moment. |
I've also started using a safety razor for the very rare occasions that I do shave! I managed to get mine on a really good deal, so my razor and blades didn't come to much over £25 in the end (definitely worth it for a lifetime supply of shaving). Annoyingly, my razor came in plastic wrapping, which is the biggest issue with ordering offline. Once you understand how they work, and know to go carefully, they work very well. Switching to a safety razor such an easy change to make and they really aren't as scary as they look (actually they are pretty swanky), so if you are going to make any kind of effort in reducing plastic, make sure you order one!
I've also been making sure to pick up plastic that would usually go to waste and re-use it: packaging from deliveries at work can be used as bin bags etc. Just be resourceful!
Finally, I've got round to ordering food from the deli at Tesco and asking for it in my own container which was met with confusion, but we got there eventually. I've heard that Morrisons is actively encouraging this, and are phasing out their plastic veg bags too.
Thanks for reading.
Liv
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