A beginner’s guide to plastic-free living

Katherine MartinkofeistyredhairMay 25, 2018

Focus on these three areas of your life to see the biggest returns.

My friend and I were standing in a crowded local pub last weekend, waiting for a band to start playing, when he said to me, “You need to write a step-by-step guide to giving up plastic.” “I’ve already done that!” I replied, thinking of the numerous articles I’ve written on going zero waste, but he shook his head. “I don’t know where to start. You need to break it down even further, telling me exactly what needs to change and where I can get plastic-free alternatives.”

It’s true that, after years of writing about plastic avoidance and waste reduction, it’s hard for me to see it through the eyes of a beginner. There are things I mistakenly assume everyone knows, like where to find bar shampoo/conditioner and plastic-free laundry detergent. But for many people, those are still daunting and confusing steps.I’ve spend the last few days mulling over my friend’s request, and the result is this guide to getting started with plastic reduction. It’s not comprehensive, of course, because plastic-free living can be taken to all levels of extreme; but these are three key changes that I consider to be the most effective. This is where I would tell people to start.

1. Grocery shopping

Marco Verch/CC BY 2.0

If you shop for groceries the way our society assumes you will, you’re guaranteed to come home with loads of plastic. This entire model is based on the notion that people walk into a store empty-handed, assuming they’ll be provided with all of the necessary packaging to transport food home, but this is crazy! If you can change that mindset and view shopping as an assignment that requires key tools, as well as sufficient time to do it right, then you can drastically reduce the amount of waste you bring home (and inadvertently pay for).

These ‘tools’ include reusable bags, containers, and boxes for carrying everything. I use a mishmash of drawstring solid cotton and mesh bags, glass jars in various sizes, rectangular food storage containers, and round metal canisters. Another valuable tool is knowing which local stores will accommodate your reusables. You might be surprised to find how many stores are supportive; as awareness of the plastic pollution problem spreads, local vendors are eager to do their part.

If you live in any Canadian town with a Bulk Barn store, you are entitled to use your own containers. This has been life-changing for me, as it means I can get everything from pasta, dried beans, nuts, seeds, baking supplies, dried fruit, and spices to cereal, nut butters, coconut oil, rice, and even candy plastic-free. If you live in the U.S., zero waste blogger Litterless has just updated her Where to Shop Grocery Guide, and Bea Johnson, founder of the movement, has a Bulk Finder app. I’ve read that Whole Foods will also let you use containers.

Sign up for a food box or CSA program to get plastic-free vegetables. When my CSA doesn’t provide what I need, I use mesh cotton bags to hold supermarket produce together, or else I leave them loose in the cart. In all the years I’ve been corralling stray apples, onions, and lemons on the conveyor belt, no cashier has ever complained; in fact, they often lament how customers double-bag their produce. Try to avoid veggies and fruit that are pre-packaged in plastic; sadly, this can mean paying a bit more for loose produce, rather than the cheaper bulk packs. (I make an exception for the clearance rack, which does come in plastic, but I figure the savings in money and food waste make it OK.)

If you eat dairy, it’s becoming easier to source milk in reusable glass jars; you pay a deposit for the jar and then return it to the retailer. I’ve found yogurt in glass jars at the local supermarket, but sometimes I make my own.

Get ‘naked’ loaves of bread at a local bakery. Bea Johnson takes along a pillow case when she shops and stuffs it full of fresh baguettes; I prefer to use a large cloth drawstring bag. If I’m at the supermarket and need bread, I head to the bins with loose buns or bagels, and put those into a bag. They need to be transferred to an airtight container at home. Alternatively, I bake my own if there’s time.

If you eat meat, this is very easy to buy plastic-free. Local butchers are accommodating of reusable containers, and it’s a much simpler, less messy process that allows you to put meat directly into the freezer or fridge as soon as you get home. You could also buy a partial whole animal for the freezer that comes wrapped in paper; actual butcher paper has no lining, but freezer paper does have a thin poly lining to provide a moisture barrier. I still consider this far better than the amount of plastic wrap and Styrofoam that comes with supermarket-packaged meat.

There are still many things that I haven’t addressed here, like condiments, oils, freezer foods, cheese, and snack foods, but I see those as less important in the overall fight against plastic food packaging. It’s best to focus first on the main dietary staples.

2. Bathroom products

MaxPixel/Public Domain

The next biggest source of plastic waste comes from the bathroom. Personal hygiene habits can be hard to break, but they bring significant health advantages. Many products commonly found in bathrooms contain unsafe chemicals linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and respiratory issues. You’re better off without them.

Buy unpackaged natural bar soap. My favorite is made by the Soap Works, a Toronto-based company that sells in many local shops around Ontario and online. It costs around $2 per bar, but lasts my family two weeks. We use it for everything — hands and body — which has eliminated the need for shower gels and liquid soap in a plastic dispenser. I sometimes use the olive oil soap to remove makeup. Akamai is another company that makes a beautiful paper-wrapped multi-purpose soap. I keep a big container of Dr. Bronner’s liquid castile soap in the shower, too, which unfortunately does come in plastic, but it lasts forever; I have seen some bulk store locations in Toronto that will refill these bottles, so take advantage of that if you can.

Shampoo alternatives: You can buy great solid shampoo-conditioner bars from Lush Cosmetics. Buy a metal tin for storage. The Soap Works also sells solid shampoo-conditioning bars, and Dr. Bronner’s paper-wrapped Castile Soap can be used as a shampoo, as long as it’s paired with a conditioning rinse afterward. If you want to continue using regular shampoo, check out Plaine Products, a new company that sells divine-scented shampoo in refillable metal containers. Consider switching to baking soda and apple cider vinegar, a method that I used for several years with great success.

Moisturizers: I like the fair-trade coconut oil sold by Dr. Bronner’s in a glass jar with metal lid. It’s great for moisturizing skin post-shaving, dry chapped hands, and removing makeup. Sometimes I buy my coconut oil in my own jars at Bulk Barn. I also like the solid massage bars from Lush (they’re expensive but luxurious, and come entirely without packaging if you buy them in the store). New Zealand-based Ethique makes lovely lotion bars that come wrapped in paper. The interesting thing about moisturizers, though, is that the fewer products you use on your skin in general — like makeup and detergent-containing facial washes — the less you’ll need to moisturize.

Dental care, cosmetics, shaving tools, toilet paper packaging, etc. are all other things that can be tackled in an attempt to reduce plastic in the bathroom, but these are less important in my view than the items listed above.

3. Food on the go

A Healthier Michigan/CC BY 2.0

How many times have you found yourself far from home and ravenously hungry? Those are the moments when one’s commitment to plastic avoidance tends to fall apart. It’s almost impossible to find packaged food on the go that does not come in plastic.

There are a few solutions to this problem. The first is to pack all the food you’ll need when you leave the house. Whether it’s your daily commute to work or a multi-hour road trip, make sure you’ve got all the snacks and drinks you’ll need along the way.

If you have difficulty packing food in advance, keep a zero-waste food kit in your car at all times. This means that, no matter where you are, you’ve always got a container, a reusable straw, a coffee cup, a water bottle, a napkin, and whatever else you may need. Here are some thoughts on how to put one together.

Finally, if you’re hungry and find yourself without reusable cups or dishes, take some time out of your day to sit down. Ask for your coffee in a ceramic mug and spend 10 minutes at a table in a cafe, enjoying it. Eat your lunch in a restaurant to avoid the plastic takeout container and the disposable cutlery. Make sure you ask for no straw in your drink. This can be a tough mental shift for a society that lives on the move, but it can introduce valuable moments of respite in the midst of busy days.

Packing a lunch? Invest in high-quality reusable containers made of metal or glass and washable cloth bags. Having these on hand will eliminate the urge to use disposable sandwich bags, plastic wrap, and plastic containers that age poorly and leach toxic chemicals into the food. Get a good water bottle for every member of the family. Purchase a set of versatile Abeego wraps (pictured at the top) as a substitute for plastic wrap. Visit Life Without Plastic, a.k.a. the greatest site in the world, to find everything you need.

There is so much more I could talk about, but this is what I consider to be ‘low-hanging fruit,’ the changes that will create the most benefit in your life when it comes to reducing plastic. Establish these new habits, then it will be easier to tackle the next level of changes (such as cleaning and clothing), which I’ll cover in a subsequent post.

First published on May 25, 2018 at:

https://www.treehugger.com/green-home/beginners-guide-plastic-free-living.html

How can we live lightly on the Earth and save money at the same time? Staff members at the Worldwatch Institute, a global environmental organization, share ideas on how to GO GREEN and SAVE GREEN at home and at work. To learn more about Worldwatch’s efforts to create am environmentally sustainable society that meets human needs, 

Climate change is in the news. It seems like everyone’s “going green.” We’re glad you want to take action, too. Luckily, many of the steps we can take to stop climate change can make our lives better. Our grandchildren-and their children-will thank us for living more sustainably. Let’s start now.

We’ve partnered with the Million Car Carbon Campaign to help you find ways to save energy and reduce your carbon footprint. This campaign is uniting conscious consumers around the world to prevent the emissions-equivalent of 1 million cars from entering the atmosphere each year.

Keep reading for 10 simple things you can do today to help reduce your environmental impact, save money, and live a happier, healthier life. For more advice, purchase State of the World 2010 – Transforming Cultures: From Consumerism to Sustainability, a report from 60 renowned researchers and practitioners on how to reorient cultures toward sustainability.

• Save energy to save money.
  
  Purchase State of the World 2010:
  Transforming Cultures to learn more
  about the shift from consumerism
  to sustainability
  • Set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer to save on heating and cooling costs.
  • Install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) when your older incandescent bulbs burn out.
  • Unplug appliances when you’re not using them. Or, use a “smart” power strip that senses when appliances are off and cuts “phantom” or “vampire” energy use.
  • Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water.
  • Use a drying rack or clothesline to save the energy otherwise used during machine drying.

Save water to save money.

• Take shorter showers to reduce water use. This will lower your water and heating bills too.
• Install a low-flow shower head. They don’t cost much, and the water and energy savings can quickly pay back your investment.
• Make sure you have a faucet aerator on each faucet. These inexpensive appliances conserve heat and water, while keeping water pressure high.
• Plant drought-tolerant native plants in your garden. Many plants need minimal watering. Find out which occur naturally in your area.

• Less gas = more money (and better health!).
  
  Purchase State of the World 2009:
  Into a Warming World to learn more
  about overcoming global climate change
  • Walk or bike to work. This saves on gas and parking costs while improving your cardiovascular health and reducing your risk of obesity.
  • Consider telecommuting if you live far from your work. Or move closer. Even if this means paying more rent, it could save you money in the long term.
  • Lobby your local government to increase spending on sidewalks and bike lanes. With little cost, these improvements can pay huge dividends in bettering your health and reducing traffic.

• Eat smart.
  • If you eat meat, add one meatless meal a week. Meat costs a lot at the store-and it’s even more expensive when you consider the related environmental and health costs.
  • Buy locally raised, humane, and organic meat, eggs, and dairy whenever you can. Purchasing from local farmers keeps money in the local economy.
  • Watch videos about why local food and sustainable seafood are so great.
  • Whatever your diet, eat low on the food chain [pdf]. This is especially true for seafood.
• Skip the bottled water.
  • Use a water filter to purify tap water instead of buying bottled water. Not only is bottled water expensive, but it generates large amounts of container waste.
  • Bring a reusable water bottle, preferably aluminum rather than plastic, with you when traveling or at work.
  • Check out this short article for the latest on bottled water trends.
• Think before you buy.
  • Go online to find new or gently used secondhand products. Whether you’ve just moved or are looking to redecorate, consider a service like craigslist or FreeSharing to track down furniture, appliances, and other items cheaply or for free.
  • Check out garage sales, thrift stores, and consignment shops for clothing and other everyday items.
  • Watch a video about what happens when you buy things. Your purchases have a real impact, for better or worse.
• Borrow instead of buying.
  • Borrow from libraries instead of buying personal books and movies. This saves money, not to mention the ink and paper that goes into printing new books.
  • Share power tools and other appliances. Get to know your neighbors while cutting down on the number of things cluttering your closet or garage.

• Buy smart.
  
  Great for classrooms:
  Climate Change
  Reference Guide
  • Buy in bulk. Purchasing food from bulk bins can save money and packaging.
  • Wear clothes that don’t need to be dry-cleaned. This saves money and cuts down on toxic chemical use.
  • Invest in high-quality, long-lasting products. You might pay more now, but you’ll be happy when you don’t have to replace items as frequently (and this means less waste!).
• Keep electronics out of the trash.
  • Keep your cell phones, computers, and other electronics as long as possible.
  • Donate or recycle them responsibly when the time comes. E-waste contains mercury and other toxics and is a growing environmental problem.
  • Recycle your cell phone.
  • Ask your local government to set up an electronics recycling and hazardous waste collection event.
• Make your own cleaning supplies.
  • The big secret: you can make very effective, non-toxic cleaning products whenever you need them. All you need are a few simple ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, lemon, and soap.
  • Making your own cleaning products saves money, time, and packaging-not to mention your indoor air quality.
• Bonus Item!
  • Stay informed about going green. Sign up for ourmonthly newsletter.
  • Want more? Check out Going Green: 12 Simple Steps for 2012.

Thanks to members of SustainUS, the U.S. youth network for sustainable development, for contributing their ideas on how to go green and save green at home and at work.

This article was first published on: http://www.worldwatch.org/resources/go_green_save_green