The idiots guide to cutting down on single use plastic

[icebearforpresident]

With all the (long overdue) fuss about single use plastics recently i’ve started thinking about the impact my family is having. We do the usual recycling etc but beyond that have probably been fairly blasé.

I realised recently just how much impact I personally must be having. I’m diabetic and my insulin comes in a flex pen, fully plastic and non recyclable. I probably get through about 2 of these a week. I know I can’t change that but I want to offset it somehow.

I’ve already switched to a menstrual cup —and will talk about it to anyone that will listen I love it so much—

Can anyone help me with the next steps. I’m all about starting small and working up.

Biancadeioisback I’ve tried the Juliet Rose ones (they do a nice sample pack) and liked one of them, but they haven’t been in stock for ages. So I’ve just tried this shampoo bar, and I’m very pleased with it so far - easy to use, and hasn’t irritated my sensitive scalp.

All great suggestions, it’s never crossed my mind to take Tupperware to the butcher. Will definitely get myself some beeswax wrapping for sandwiches and will invest in a travel cup for my local coffee place.

I find bar soaps leave me with horribly dry skin, any suggestions for a good one?

The same place as the shampoo I linked to above does a soap which I find isn’t drying at all- the honey one. The goats milk one is also good and non-drying, but doesn’t smell as nice.

I use body shop bar soap I find it much less drying on my hands than liquid soap. They have a range of scents although my favourite is the pink grapefruit one.

Reduce, reuse, recycle........
Do you really need the thing you're about to buy (we all need to consume less). I am trying to stick to one out one in rule for clothing and use eBay. Food wise there was a really good research paper (widely reported in the media) published in the Lancet or nature? Basically advocating a less processed food more plant based diet to tackle climate change and the obesity epidemic.....

Bar soap in the bathroom, liquid soap refills for kitchen and downstairs loo.
Buy lots of loose stuff (fruit, veg,nuts, seeds, grains) from local organic shop.
Rarely drink soda in cans or bottles. Occasionally fizzy water when it's hot, I find it very refreshing.
Not much choice here for milk, which we use a lot of.
Some skincare in glass bottles... working on more.
Always take my own bags to the supermarket and clothes shops (hardly buy any clothes).
I do buy multipacks of crisps because If i buy a big bag I will just eat them all. I like the portion control
DH takes packed lunch in Tupperware (I eat lunch at home).
No takeaway coffees - drink in or make at home.
Make my own granola for breakfast (though some of the ingredients come in plastic bags, not many though.
I'm always disappointed when I accidentally buy individually wrapped tea bags (often wrapped in paper).
I was delighted that aforementioned organic shop started doing a collection for plastic that's hard to recycle - so plastic food bags, film, etc. But they stopped it because people were putting the wrong stuff in I'm always amazed at when I can see in our communal plastic recycling bin, things like yoghurt pots and food trays when it states clearly it doesn't take them...
I would like to do more.

Soaps - Sainsbury's do a great one but I can't find online!
Wrapped in orange paper but this line.
www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/soap-handwash/sainsburys-collection-luxury-soap--rose---peony-200g
£2 per bar - I was dubious at that price but lasts 4 of us ages.
I find trick to not getting dry-feeling skin after, is to lather up out of the flow of shower water. Wierd but works.

Powder washing powder in cardboard boxes rather than pods in plastic boxes, don’t use fabric softener you don’t need it anyway! If you drink tea don’t buy any brands that don’t have biodegradeable bags

For those mentioning crisps, I recently found this company, which does crisps in totally compostable bags

Forgot the link twofarmers.co.uk/

Lots of good ideas here. I've got one of those fabric bags that fold up small attached to my key ring, so am never caught short. Am trying to buy lose fruit and veg from green grocer rather than supermarket.

Making home made ice lollies from mould saves money and avoids plastic

Those asking about bar soaps
For the body
As someone else has said I also love the body shop ones
Also Johnson's do baby soaps in a bar I can't remember the scent but it's in a yellow packet and very cheap - think they do a pack of 4 for a £1 (or I'm remembering incorrectly which is always possible)

I think someone said on here that fighting plastic isn't about one person doing it perfectly, it's about everyone doing it imperfectly.

We have found some quick wins to be:

• switching to bar shampoo and soap rather than bottles and shower gel
• splosh refillable washing up liquid and handwash
• never buy bottled water, we all have water bottles instead
• never buy household cleaning wipes (my kids are past the baby wipe stage)
• no carrier bags - strong reusable ones only
• avoid synthetic fibres in clothing where possible, have also stopped buying cheap acrylic yarn for knitting as it sheds fibres

I think the most important thing is just being aware of it when you're buying stuff. Choosing loose carrots rather than the ones in the plastic bag. Refusing to buy overpacked plastic tat for the kids.

I really hate how us consumers are made to feel guilty when it's the big companies that produce the plastic that need to change.

I do the best I can, but honestly? If you are on a tight budget it is bloody hard. Most of the time, the alternatives are more expensive.

I use Splosh cleaning products, washing powder in a cardboard box, I lovely loofah instead of a washing up sponge, cloths instead of disposable wipes... these are a few things that are easy to switch and don't cost much more.