Going plastic-free.

[RubberTreePlant]

Or at least, near-plastic-free.

Is it possible?

Has anyone managed it?

I’m focussing on reducing my plastic consumption rather than doing plastic free, as that’s more realistic for us as a family. Here is what we have done:

Bar soap instead of shower gel.

Reusable cotton pads and period undies, cutting down on plasma c wrappers.

Resusable wax wraps for packed lunches.

I’ve bought <a class="break-all" href="http://go.mumsnet.com/?xs=1&id=470X1554755&url=www.homiepie.co.uk/products/ecological-and-reusable-portable-bag-1-pack-12-pieces?variant=16295709245514" target="_blank">these bagss* for fruit and veg. We have a great shop nearby that does a vast array of food.

Those look good.

I don’t use a lot of bleach but I’m not prepared to completely give it up.

I've switched to bleach tablets for now. Much better packaging ratio. UK supermarkets now stock them.

I think going as plastic-free as possible is not just a good idea, it is vital. But I think that the changes are going to have to start at a manufacturing level - supermarkets using as much recyclable, non-plastic packaging as possible, packaging companies developing more compostable/paper based/recyclable packaging that is the same price as the plastic, and more shops where you can take your own containers and fill them with the store cupboard staples.

I do think most on the onus must be on the big companies using all this plastic. Why can't they swap plastic for recyclable. E.g meat containers either buy your own or rent then when you buy you meat get your money back when you bring them back.
I don't mind doing my bit but it feels pointless against the big corporations.

Cutting down on toiletries and / or switching to lush (lush's little black pots can be returned to store for recycling)

I'd forgotten about Lush.
*
-Buy coconut oil in a glass jar (Holland and Barrett's) and use it as a body moisturiser (it has other cosmetic uses too e.g lip balm) to save on plastic cosmetics packaging*

Good for curly hair, too.
*
-Look into splosh cleaning products*

Googling now. Thanks.

I've been trying to reduce my plastic use but there are so many things that seem impossible to give up - for example when I clean the cats' litter trays, my council specifically says cat litter should be double bagged before going in the bin. I usually don't double bag but it needs one plastic bag at least...

But I'm making small changes where I can - buying bar soap instead of shower gel, switching to reusable menstrual protection, buying cat food in cans instead of pouches (cans at least are easily recyclable), getting fruit & veg from a box scheme that uses as little plastic as possible, trying to remember to keep my fabric shopping bag with me always...

Mostly though I think the change needs to be at the manufacturing and distributor end to avoid unnecessary plastic. I recently bought bamboo toothbrushes and they came in individual plastic cases, inside a plastic bag, inside a bubblewrap envelope as I bought online.

@Iwantacookie & @SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius I've been looking to see if there is any organised campaign through which to exert pressure on retailers and manufacturers. I haven't found anything so far.

Who remembers places like weigh and save and Scoop and save they were well ahead of their times people were able to buy bulk at a very reasonable price I don't think they thought of the environment but you would think that something like that would be back now .
Although I must admit I got fed up of people cross contaminated things I always found barley in the rice or jellybeans in the powdered mash. !

I found so far this:
www.greenpeace.org.uk/what-we-do/oceans/plastics/

charities:
plasticoceans.uk/hub/
www.kidsagainstplastic.co.uk/
www.wwf.org.uk/fight-plastic-pollution

I think it would be great to have generic resources ans advice in one place.

There are some very long threads which were started after the blue planet plastic episode which contain all sorts of good advice. I'll try to find.

For the person asking about yoghurt you could easily make your own using an easiyo. They're very good and whilst the starter powders do come in plastic bags you don't actually need them once you've made one batch. you just use a couple of spoonfuls of yoghurt from one batch to start the next.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/ethical_living/3098227-Save-the-planet-What-small-steps-have-you-taken-today

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/ethical_living/3472727-Is-it-just-single-use-plastics-that-we-need-to-reduce-or-is-it-all-of-them

I'm focussing on my wardrobe, so have saved up for more expensive but more durable woollen pieces. I have a wool duvet too which is incredible; expensive but worth every penny, a much nicer sleeping experience than synthetics.

Benefit of wool is less washing too, so further eco gains there. I've tried soapnuts for washing but they werent up to much

Thanks @Cloudtree.

That's great @Cloudtree , thanks.

I am also planning to replace my fleeces with either cotton fleeces (if such a thing is available in my size) or cardigans knitted out of natural fibres - I knit and crochet, so I can make my own. Unfortunately I can't wear wool next to my skin, so will have to go for other natural fibres - but given the huge availability of yarn nowadays, that won't be too much of a problem.

We don't do too badly. I just did a weekly shop in Morrisons and the only plastic was:

• Pasta (for swaps could order in bulk from plastic free pantry or similar)
• Potatoes
• A couple of bits of cling film type stuff on meat.

I took loads of old Tupperware for meat, cheese, ham, fish and got fruit and veg loose. They had big trays of strawberries with just a film over which is better than many.

I then went to an old school weigh shop for coffee beans and nuts, dried fruit etc.

Morrisons make it quite easy tbh, they seem to encourage it and their 'self scan for big shops'' checkouts help.

Things I can't help: tablets are the main thing.

We have a local health food shop that lets you refill your own bottles of shampoo, body wash etc, as well as cleaning products so that helps.

Soap instead of bottled stuff or shower gel.

I do wish there were more zero waste style shops around.

I then went to an old school weigh shop for coffee beans and nuts, dried fruit etc.

I'm envious of these shops.

We have a local health food shop that lets you refill your own bottles of shampoo, body wash etc, as well as cleaning products so that helps.

Ditto.

I obviously need to move!

I miss the Whittards shop. I loved their beans.

plasticfreepantry.co.uk/ Link - thanks @BarrenFieldofFucks I had no idea this was a thing?!

Trying to cut down as much as possible.

Some things aren’t possible.

Why is my husband so useless?

After a long conversation with the whole family - him included - where I talked about buying fruit and veg from the greengrocer using the bags I’d just bought, he does an online shop including loads of pre-packaged veg and has already bought mayo, not in a jar like we normally do, but in a plastic squeezey tube.

never mind the fact that he’s a lazy bellend and could do all this shopping on foot as he’s a SAHD but the kids are all in school

For some stuff I think you just need to think back to what we did in and before the 70s to work out a simple solution. Eg berries: you pick your own in June/July, enjoy some, freeze some, dry some, make some into jams, preserves etc and that’s it. They’re delicate fruit that don’t travel well but I think they’re more enjoyable when you only have them in season. Ditto asparagus, green beans, tangerines etc. Lunchboxes - do they really need a yoghurt in? If you need to keep them cool, could you make and freeze fairy cakes/flapjacks/similar to serve the same purpose as your frozen frube?
Cereal used to be packed in a waxed bag then a box - I presume the change is due to shelf life but don’t see why we can’t revert to a shorter one again.