8 Easy Ways To Reduce Single Use Plastic Plus Our Fav Alternatives

by Liz Lambert | Feb 11, 2020 | Home

[dropcaps type=’normal’ font_size=’65’ color=’#232323′ background_color=” border_color=”]T[/dropcaps] here are a ton of reasons to reduce our dependence on plastic, and eliminating single use plastic is a great place to start.

1. Always Carry a Tote Bag

We mean always. Of course you should always bring bags to the grocery store, but you should also be prepared for incidental stops anytime, like when stopping at the drugstore on the way home from work, or that Sephora impulse buy. Basically, never use a store-provided bag. We like the self-packing bag styles, which can be thrown into just about any purse or pocket.

Go-To Market Bag, $12 at Urban Outfitters

The classic French string net grocery bag.

Standard Baggu Bag, $12 at Baggu

Self-packable bag made of 40% recycled fiber.

2. Drink Tap Water

Don’t just not use a disposable water bottle; how about not buying water that was transported from a spring halfway around the world. Some bottled waters are just filtered tap water to start with. If you’re concerned about water content, invest in a home filter or filtering portable bottle.

w&p Porter Terrazzo Water Bottle, $35 at Food52

A sturdy 20 ounce glass bottle encased in matte silicone.

3. BYOC² (Bring Your Own Coffee Cup)

Starbucks alone distributes nearly 4 billion cups a year. And those “paper” cups are lined in plastic to make them leakproof. If you already have a travel coffee cup, make the effort to bring it with you every morning. If you’re buying a new one, make sure it’s one you will want to use. We like this pretty option from Porter, which holds a hefty 16 ounces but still fits into a capacious coat pocket.

w&p Porter Mug, $30 at Verishop

This 16 ounce ceramic mug is dishwasher and microwave safe, as well as BPA free.

4. Pack It Up: Bring Your Lunch To Work

Or, if you must purchase lunch, take a break and go to a restaurant with actual plates. There are no real good disposable and recyclable food container options. Some restaurants will allow you to bring a container for takeaway – or you can simply order in and then put the food into your own container. But the sure-fire solution is to pack your own food in your own containers.

Porter To-Go Bowls, from $25 at Food52

Available in ceramic or BPA-free plastic.

Ekobo Bento Box, from $35 at Food52

Made of Ekobo’s signature bamboo-based resin.

5. Ignore Those Produce Bags

Just pretend they don’t exist. Those oh-so-handy and free bags that will keep your fruits and vegetables pristine all the way through checkout. And they’re just a whisper of plastic, right? Whole Foods even colors them green so we can feel like they’re more natural somehow. Guess what? You absolutely don’t need them. In fact, unless you are buying lots of something small (like pea pods) you don’t really need a bag at all. If you’re just buying a few apples and a pepper or two, feel free to forego a bag altogether. And otherwise, there are plenty of reusable options out there. Once your fruits and veggies are home, store them in a reusable container that allows them some humidity, either from the bag itself or from a damp cloth inside.

Fresh Vegetable Storage Bags, from $40 for set of 2 at Food52

These 100% organic cotton french terry bags are a great way to store produce so it stays fresh and crispy for longer. Simply dampen the bags, fill with your fruits and veggies, and stick in the fridge. Whatever’s inside will stay fresh for a week or more (just spritz with more water if the bags get dry). The bags are handmade in North Carolina.

6. Forget About Plastic Wrap and Zip Bags

In other words, rethink your food storage. Once you no longer have plastic wrap and bags in the house, using alternatives will become second nature. Instead of plastic wrap, try reusable bowl covers or lidded storage containers, or try similarly useful beeswax wrap. Instead of disposable zip bags, try a reusable version or again, simply opt for any reusable container. We found a new use for old baby food storage bowls as a replacement for zipper snack bags.

Reusable Silicone Storage Bags, from $40 at Food52

Bee’s Wrap Reusable Food Wrap, from $18 at Food52

7. Refill Your Soap

This covers so many areas in our homes where we use soaps and cleansers. They are mostly water based, and there are plenty of alternatives to buying them in single-use containers and dispenser bottles. Loop is a service that packages and refills a variety of household goods in reusable containers. Online retailer Public Goods sells concentrate of household cleaning products, to be diluted in any spray bottle.

8. Use What You Have

Last but not least, get creative! Look around at what you already have that you could be using (and re-using). If you already have plastic containers and bags from the grocer, use them again. Stuck with old Tupperware your mom foisted on you years ago? Use it! Just be aware of plastic content – and if you’re not sure, avoid using plastic with hot food. And if you do find that you need to buy new solutions, make sure they are items that can, in turn, truly be recycled or repurposed and are preferably non-reactive materials like glass, stainless steel and ceramic.