{"id":18039,"title":"22\u00a0Easy Plastic Switches","description":"Are you looking to be more sustainable in everyday life? You can reduce your single-use plastic use with this list of ways to get closer to plastic-free living. Around 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in the ocean each year. This is a major issue as plastic takes hundreds of years to break down. That's why I have put this list together, to make it more accessible for people to follow a more eco-friendly way of life.","content":"

Plastic pollution is a major issue to wildlife, with\u00a0many creatures suffering due to plastic digestion problems. Sadly it has become common to find seabirds, turtles, dolphins, whales and much other sea life that has suffered and lost lives to plastic pollution.<\/p>

That is why I have put together a list of 22\u00a0simple things to swap, which could drastically reduce the amount of plastic you use day-to-day. Many of these items can be found in zero waste shops, so if you have one local then that is probably the best place to start!\"\"
Plastic Free Turtle T-Shirt | \u00a320<\/a><\/p>


1. REUSABLE BOTTLES<\/strong><\/h3>

Getting\u00a0a\u00a0reusable bottle\u00a0and drinking tap water where possible is one of the easiest ways to reduce plastic waste. Remembering to take it out with you each day is the hardest bit but once you do, the chances are you\u2019ll start drinking more water. If tap water is safe to drink, then asking for it in cafes and restaurants is perfectly acceptable too, after all you\u2019re saving the planet by not wasting resources!\u00a0<\/p>

Where tap water isn\u2019t safe to drink in some places abroad, refilling your bottle at water fountains is much better than buying plastic bottled water. Water fountain containers are reused when empty, so this uses significantly less plastic than individual bottles in the long run. Buying water in glass bottles where available and recycling them when finished is also a good practice, as glass is far more recyclable than plastic.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

2. REUSABLE CUPS<\/strong><\/h3>

Switching to\u00a0a\u00a0reusable cup\u00a0for hot and cold takeaway beverages is a great way to\u00a0cut\u00a0waste drastically. Less than 1 in 400 disposable cups are currently recycled, as the paper is bonded with plastic. Over 2.5\u00a0billion single-use cups are thrown away each year in the UK alone. Lots of places now offer discounts to those with reusable cups, so you could also save money with a reusable cup!<\/p>

3. SHOPPING\u00a0& PRODUCE\u00a0BAGS<\/strong><\/h3>

Lots of places have now phased out single-use plastic bags, however, plastic bags-for-life\u00a0will still take hundreds of years to break down. Why not get yourself a\u00a0shopping bag\u00a0made of a more sustainable material? My tote bags<\/a> are made with 100% organic cotton, which can be sent back and recycled into new clothing when you decide you don't want the bag anymore.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

You could also\u00a0try\u00a0produce bags\u00a0for putting loose fruit, veg,\u00a0baked goods and even loose cosmetic bars\u00a0in, instead of the single-use plastic or paper bags provided.\u00a0\"\"
Plastic Free Turtle Tote Bag | \u00a314<\/a>

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5. REUSABLE FOOD UTENSILS<\/strong><\/h3>

Sporks and reusable cutlery\u00a0could be a big game changer in the world of on-the-go food waste. There\u2019s lots of choice out there and many come in handy travel cases. If you know you eat food on-the-go often, then getting yourself a spork or something similar is a great way of cutting down on single-use plastic food utensils. Just remember to refuse the utensils provided before they\u2019re given to you!\u00a0<\/p>

6. REUSABLE STRAWS<\/strong><\/h3>

Whilst plastic straws are soon to be banned in the UK, with biodegradable options as a replacement,\u00a0reusable straws\u00a0are the better option for the environment. Metal and glass straws are the best alternatives as these materials are more hardwearing and can be recycled endlessly. Bamboo straws are also much better than single-use straws over time. If you travel, then remember lots of countries still use plastic straws, so refusing the straw when you order a drink is still a good practice.\"\"

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7. PLASTIC-FREE CHEWING GUM<\/strong><\/h3>

Did you know that most\u00a0chewing gum sold in shops contains plastic and can take hundreds of years to break down?! Not only that but it isn't biodegradable, so it will never fully disappear.\u00a0Chewing gum is the world's second most common form of litter after cigarette butts, around 85% of it is not put in the bin!\u00a0There are now\u00a0plastic-free, biodegradable gum alternatives\u00a0available.<\/p>

8. PLASTIC-FREE ORAL CARE<\/strong><\/h3>

Plastic-free oral care\u00a0is becoming more and more available. Biodegradable\u00a0bamboo toothbrushes\u00a0are the easiest switch, with many now available in high street shops. Other plastic switches include\u00a0toothpaste which comes in jars,\u00a0toothpaste\u00a0and\u00a0mouthwash\u00a0in tablet form and\u00a0plastic-free floss.<\/p>

9. PLASTIC-FREE COSMETICS<\/strong><\/h3>

All of those cosmetics which come in plastic containers or wrapping can now easily be switched to\u00a0solid bars\u00a0which come wrapped in paper or better yet, nothing at all if you buy them in certain shops. Reusable\u00a0produce\u00a0bags\u00a0could easily be used to get your naked cosmetics instead of single-use paper bags. Many liquid cosmetics are also available in zero waste shops, simply take a container to refill and say goodbye to more single-use plastic packaging!<\/p>

10. PLASTIC-FREE SHAVING<\/strong><\/h3>

Switching to\u00a0plastic-free shaving\u00a0is a really simple swap to make. Opting for\u00a0reusable metal razors instead of disposable plastic ones is much better for the environment, as these can be recycled when they\u00a0come to the end of their life. The disposable ones are unlikely to be recycled, so end up in landfill sites or worse. Shaving soaps or creams that come\u00a0in paper packaging or metal tins are also much kinder to the planet than foams with plastic lids.\"\"

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11. REUSABLE MAKEUP PADS<\/strong><\/h3>

Cotton pads in unrecyclable plastic packaging could be phased out as there are\u00a0reusable alternatives\u00a0now available. Simply put them in your washing machine with your clothes and there you have an easy way to drastically cut down on single-use waste!\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

12. MENSTRUAL CUPS<\/strong><\/h3>

Although made of plastic,\u00a0menstrual cups\u00a0can drastically reduce the amount of single-use plastic waste from tampons. Rinse them out and you\u2019ll never need to buy tampons again!<\/p>

13. REUSABLE KITCHEN TOWEL<\/strong><\/h3>

Say goodbye to plastic-wrapped kitchen roll and make the switch to\u00a0reusable kitchen towel. Not only will you be cutting down on plastic but also unnecessary paper waste. Simply put them in with your washing and reuse.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

14. HANDKERCHEIFS<\/strong><\/h3>

Tissues often come wrapped in unrecyclable single-use plastic packaging. Switching to\u00a0handkerchiefs\u00a0can cut down your plastic and paper waste drastically.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

15. REUSABLE COTTON SWAB<\/strong><\/h3>

Although plastic-stem cotton buds are banned in the UK, most alternatives still come in plastic packaging.\u00a0LastSwab are a Denmark-based company who have invented a\u00a0reusable alternative<\/a>. They've even created a\u00a0design for makeup use. That's less plastic packaging and less unnecessary single-use paper and cotton waste!<\/p>

16. BIODEGRADABLE GLITTER<\/strong><\/h3>

Sadly even glitter is made up of harmful microplastics.\u00a0There are now\u00a0biodegradable, plastic-free options\u00a0available so you can still sparkle with a clearer conscience!<\/p>

17. PLASTIC-FREE TEA<\/strong><\/h3>

Did you know that most tea bags contain plastic? If not, you weren't the only one as most people put them in the food waste bin unknowingly.\u00a0Sadly they don't belong here as\u00a0they aren't biodegradable - another one for the landfill bin!\u00a0Either check the packaging for the biodegradable ones which are starting to filter through tea brands, or, using loose\u00a0tealeaves instead\u00a0is a great solution.\u00a0If you only don't have the need for a whole teapot then there are\u00a0reusable tea bags and\u00a0tea strainers available,\u00a0which can be used for making just one cup of tea.\"\"
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18. PLASTIC-FREE TAPE<\/strong><\/h3>

Plastic sticky tape is\u00a0non-recyclable and so lots of plastic\u00a0goes\u00a0into landfill year upon year from parcels and presents. Thankfully there are\u00a0plastic-free alternatives\u00a0available which are recyclable or biodegradable.\u00a0<\/p>

19. ECO-CONSCIOUS PHONE CASE<\/strong><\/h3>

Did you know 1.5 billion plastic\u00a0phone cases are thrown away each year? The majority of these aren't recycled so end up in landfill or worse. There are some options out there for\u00a0phone cases made of eco-conscious materials.<\/p>

20. CLOTHING<\/strong><\/h3>

Did you know that a single clothes wash could release over 700,000 microplastic fibres from synthetic clothing?! A good majority of these end up polluting\u00a0waterways and could enter the food chain. Whilst switching from synthetic to natural clothing might not always be\u00a0an easy swap, using a\u00a0wash bag<\/a>\u00a0for your synthetic clothing is!\u00a0These are specially designed to capture microplastics which can be emptied into the bin once the wash has finished.<\/p>

My clothing range is plastic-free and made from 100% organic cotton. All items are also delivered in plastic-free packaging and are carbon neutral. Opting for clothing which doesn't contain virgin plastics is a great way to help the natural world. Why not check out my adult's<\/a> and children's<\/a> sustainable clothing ranges.\"\"
Pocket Orcas T-Shirt | \u00a320<\/a>

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21. HAIRBRUSHES, COMBS &\u00a0HAIRBANDS<\/strong><\/h3>

Next time you're\u00a0in need of a new hairbrush, comb, or pack of hairbands then there are\u00a0plastic-free alternatives\u00a0available. Aside from being better for the environment they\u00a0are also better for your scalp and less damaging to your hair!<\/p>

22. DIGITAL COPIES<\/strong><\/h3>

Another simple plastic switch is to opt for digital entertainment. Music, films, TV\u00a0box sets and video games can all be purchased online and downloaded, eliminating the need for disks, plastic packaging and the plastic film that they\u00a0often come wrapped in.\"\"
Plastic Free Turtle Kids T-Shirt | \u00a314<\/a><\/p>

I hope that this has helped you with some ideas on how to cut down on single-use plastics. Remember that even making one switch from the above list will help reduce your plastic use. Why not have a go and see what you think. Together we can create a better world for wildlife and each other.\"\"
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