1. Be supermarket smart
At the supermarket, skip produce bags – either put your fruits and veggies in the trolley loose or buy reusable produce bags. If you’re buying something small, like beans, you could use the paper bags that are provided for mushrooms. And when you’re buying cheese or processed meat from the deli counter, bring your own containers to help cut plastic use as much as possible.
2. Avoid excess packaging
When grocery shopping, look for products that aren’t wrapped in excess packaging. And if possible, visit the shop yourself instead of using online delivery, as goods usually arrive wrapped in lots of unnecessary plastic.
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3. Buy in bulk
Rather than buying pre-portioned packaged food, like mini packs of chips or yoghurts, cut plastic use down by getting large packs and then divvy up portions into containers.
4. Make your own staples
If you have the kitchen space and the initial cash outlay, buying appliances that allow you to make your own food staples will cut back on packaging and save you some money in the long run. For example, a bread maker, yoghurt maker and fizzy-drink maker will all help.
5. Rethink drinks
Where possible, choose drinks in cans or glass bottles instead of plastic. Carry a reusable stainless steel drink bottle around and refill it with water from the tap – this will save you a lot of cash, and it’s good for your health too.
6. Coffee choices
Most takeaway coffee cups have a plastic lining and can’t be recycled, so always bring your own reusable cup to cafes. And if you’re considering buying a coffee machine for home, buy one that uses beans or coffee grounds, not coffee pods (they’re often made of single-use plastic).
7. Get gardening
Give plastic-wrapped herbs a miss and grow your own instead. Herbs and salad ingredients such as spinach, lettuce and kale are easy to grow – even in pots, if you live in an apartment – and you will reduce food waste by only picking as much as you need.
8. Raise the bar
Instead of purchasing bottles of beauty items such as shampoo, conditioner, shaving gel and body wash, switch to handy bars of these products instead.
9. Shave smart
Do you use disposable razors? Swap to an electric razor or a stainless steel one with replaceable blades, which will save you plenty of dollars and cut plastic use at the same time.
10. Celebrate carefully
Having a party or barbecue? Give the balloons a miss – they’re a real hazard for wildlife. Go for reusable plastic cups for the kids and regular glasses for the adults, and skip the straws. Use real cutlery for food, not plastic, and real plates – ‘paper’ plates are often coated in plastic and can’t be recycled.
11. Cook at home
Avoiding pricey takeaways – and all the plastic containers it comes in – is not only good for the planet, it’s good for your pocket. Instead, try to cook at home more often and make extra to freeze for days when you can’t be bothered cooking.
12. Chew on this
Did you know most chewing gum contains plastic? If you’re a regular gum chewer, consider breaking the habit, or at least switching to natural gum options.
13. Cut it up
Buy a set of reusable cutlery and carry it in your handbag or car for when you’re eating while out and about.
14. Brush up
Switch to bamboo-handled toothbrushes and use instead of plastic ones.
15. Wrap it up
Instead of plastic cling wrap, store lunches and leftovers in reusable containers, and parcel up sandwiches in beeswax wraps. When baking, instead of using baking paper, which cannot be recycled, use reusable silicone trays.
16. New world order
When you’re shopping online, look at the retailer’s website to find out how it packages goods. Does the company box things up with bubble wrap or does it use eco-friendly packaging? Do your research.
