Your plastic consumption

[Littlebyerockerboo]

Just curious to see who out there is aware of the effects of plastic on the environment, much documented before all this convid, and if you have made any swaps to try to lessen your consumption of plastics, what changes did you make?

Ive tried to use:

Bar soap rather than dispenser soap
Bar shampoo/conditioner/bath bombs
Toothpaste in glass jars
Mouthwash in glass jars
Sparkling water & milk in glass bottles
Bamboo tooth brushes
Coke in cans
Other consumable items eg. Mayonnaise is glass jars rather than plastic squeeze bottles
Requesting no pizza table be included in take away pizza
Using reusable bags wherever possible - making no sew tshirt bags has been fun
Trying to buy cards without plastic coverings
Visiting local greengrocers for veggies fruits etc, not packaged
Trying my best not to buy travel drinks, use plastic cutlery when out and about.
Using cornstarch dog poo bags, or news paper for home dog deposits

I'm afraid convid has put the reusable/refillable movement on hold big time, but still trying my best to do what I can.

Are you trying to lessen your plastic consumption?
Do you recycle?

I'm still amazed by the amount of people who dont care about this stuff, particularly people who have children.

(My Dp is frustratingly difficult when it comes to buying new carrier bags, he brings 1 - 2 into the house daily!)

*covid not convid

We use bar soap instead of shower gel.

I Haven't bought a carrier bag in the whole of lockdown a nightmare when dd wanted a carrier to take her lunchbox to school as they aren't allowed to take fabric bags, and i had to dig under the stairs to find one

I tried bar shampoo but it dried my hair out too much, but i am looking for another brand to try.

Oh another one to add, brought 5L of faith in nature shampoo (arrived and it was body wash but we are using it as shampoo) because DP won't use bar shampoo, hoping that 1 x 5L plastic bottle is better than many smaller bottles!

Oh yes, ive also

Brought an old style razor, no plastic - disposable blades and a shaving soap bar
Using natural sponges instead of the plastic scrubbing brushes for cleaning in bathroom and kitchen
'Iron and velvet' plastic free cleaning product (highly recommend this one! Simple and lovely cleaning products, cheaply priced and quick delivery!)

January I did veganaury - and I've tried to continue with some products, but being vegan and plastic aware is so tough! So many vegan products come wrapped in loads of plastic!

Oh and I have reusuable bin liner which has been amazing!

Apologies for keep adding, now I've listed my changes i don't feel like I'm failing so badly reading back!

Can anyone recommend soaps that are suitable for sensitive skin/people with eczema? I'd love to switch from shower gel but I cant see anything being suitable. We do much the same, except now unfortunately I buy fruit and veg in plastic:(

I use;

Moon cup
Period absorbent knickers
Use a glass balm cleanser
Use face clothes not wipes

facial soap bar
Body Soap bar
Shampoo bar
vitamins in glass jar
Natural sponge for kitchen sink
Wooden brush for kitchen sink
Napisen in the cardboard box instead of whitener in the plastic tub
Washing powder in cardboard box
Signed the note thing on amazon to say no plastic
Use bamboo cotton buds not plastic
Compostable dog poo bags ( which is highly important as "decomposable" dosnt have a time limited, could be 200 years where as compostable has to break down within a year)
Make my own dog food
Grow my own herbs
Trying to grow my own veg!

We've been doing the same stuff as you OP but it's been a bit harder in lockdown (plastic free shop is a public transport journey away) plus been feeling the need for treats, which is meat for us! Always comes in plastic sadly.
Glad that other people care too. Sometimes feel a bit alone with my hippy tendencies!

Should say cloths..... don't wash my face with clothes sadly

@iamapixie yes so much harder during lockdown! My DP is also a huge meat eater and loves to cook, so makes it difficult for me - I have some swaps to vegan food (eg. I drink glass bottle oat milk) and im going to try harder to make more vegetarian choices... problem is it does cause some conflict at meal times!

I feel very alone in my 'hippy' tendencies.. to the fact I found out one friend doesn't even recycle (they had step children and a newborn) and i was so shocked that they were bringing up the next generation and didn't even do the basics with thier rubbish, it just doesn't make sense to me at all.

I do things like take my rubbish and friends rubbish home, I also litter pick every so often

I made this thread as I was genuinely wondering if there's others like me, maybe some swaps other hadn't thought of, and genuinely wondering if people do recycle/reuse/try and lessen plastic consumption.

I too also try and buy DS gifts second hand, chairty shops etc, so not adding to more plastic toys etc.

Does anyone have a link to

• reusable bin liner

-sponges for bathroom/kitchen

had some good ones but they keep disappearing, looking for a something with a scrub bit...

Also is the glass bottle oat milk from the milkman?

I don't think my poor DC had anything new from us until aged about 5 - hand me down clothes, charity shop toys etc! I think all the other middle class parents round here think we're right weirdos!
We try to minimise recycling waste too - especially plastic, most of which ends up being shipped abroad or incinerated. We did cotton nappies too.
I find the eco friendly period stuff not good for me sadly. Tried so many different brands but nothing as gd for me as the evil Tampax! DD uses period pants but I'm too stuck in my ways!
I'd no idea you could get oat milk in glass.. Please tell me more!

Everyone asking oat milk in glass is from milk and more (milk delivery service)
They weren't taking new customers on during the covid situation, but might be now?
The oat milk is delicious, unfortunately they don't collect the bottles back for refilling like they do milk bottles but it's still well worth it.

Picture of oat milk on the right. They also do glass bottle coconut milk.

I try to minimise recycling waste also, but i find it so hard with other members of the household! We regularly have a full recycling bin, and i wish we didn't.
I also find it a much more expensive way of living and we have some months where money is scarce , so the first thing that happens is the cheaper plastic alternatives have to creep back in.

I try and be kind to myself as I'm doing my best which is better than nothing at all.

To PP who asked about reusable bin bags - mine was called a KAN bag, and i had it from ebay to try, its been amazing for my recycling kitchen bin - but i haven't been able to find them for sale anywhere since buying the bag. If anyone does find KAN bags being sold, please do give us the link!

They are worth it!

Oooh we have milk and more (it's not often I feel happy to be hippy, what with all the rules I have to live by! But I felt totally smug during the stockpiling in March that I had milk and more and a veg delivery!). They also do yoghurt in glass. Pathetically exciting!

My favourite plastic free online shops are:

www.peacewiththewild.co.uk
www.ironandvelvet.co.uk

To PP who said you can sign online amazon thing for no plastic, where is this? We use amazon regularly and would love less plastic!

Oh and I totally agree re having to make compromises. We're lucky to be OK financially but my compromises come when I don't want DC to feel too 'different' and like nothing is ever allowed!

@iamapixie

Stop
You sound so much like me. My first milk and more delivery a few years ago, I actually took PHOTOS with my DS, posing
Sad, but i was so happy/amazed the first time I got a milk man delivery.
I too was pretty smug when the virus hit and got all my deliveries, only thing I will say is they're arriving VERY late for us now, sometimes after midday (but thats a whole new conversation!) Lol

Not perfect but we try our best:

Bar soap
Bamboo cotton buds
Recyclable bags always
Meat from butcher
Veg box (these 2 are the main packaging savers)
We also grow all herbs and have a decent veg patch
Compost all kitchen waste
Glass condiments where possible
Moon cup

Hate it when people buy us plastic toys.

Probably other things as well but I do sort all my rubbish and put almost all in recycling.

We try to avoid aluminium foil during cooking

Oh I'm with you: the joy of milk on your actual doorstep. It's kind of like a miracle!

So far we use

Mooncup
Reusable pads
Reusable make up cloths
Bamboo toothbrushes
Metal straws
Cut up old clothes for cleaning rags
Shop at a zero waste local (ish) shop to refill a variety of things from dried baking goods to herbs and spices to laundry liquid - this has the biggest impact I would say
Get fruit and veg delivered from a market trader
Milk in glass bottles starting next week
Buy less
Buy second hand as much as possible
Boycott Amazon

Tried toothpaste tabs in a glass jar but it didnt take the feeling of clean to the extreme. Also tried 'family cloth' (a euphemism for reusable toilet paper but we didnt keep it up.) Have switched to a bulk buy of 'who gives a crap' from the zero waste shop instead.

The amount of mental admin to live like this is massive. I spend a long time each week, sorting rubbish, deciding what my next area to target it, rinsing and recycling, meal planning to minimize food waste, baking snacks each week to eliminate snack food wrapping... It's a commitment but the alternative is terrifying.

Disposable cups are recommended during the covid pandemic
i have bar soap, when i was desperate for any soap,
i always have bar soap to shower with
i have umpteen plastic bags now, due to online shopping.
i always recycle.
i dont tend to use plastic squeezy mayonnaise, as there is too much waste.
we donate to charity shops