What are your best eco swaps?

[SimpleComforts]

I'm particularly worried about single use plastics, as we seem to have completely abandoned all the work that was done over the last few years with the need for single use PPE and disposable cups etc for hygiene purposes. Some schools, for example, seem to have banned reusable water bottles.

I'm happy to pay a bit extra to do my bit, but I'm not made of money so it needs to be cost effective too. I just looked at getting milk from the milkman but it's almost 4 times the price of milk in a plastic carton from the supermarket!

Things I have done:

Canvas shopping bags.

Chillys water bottle

Reusable coffee cup

Weekly organic veg box that comes with only paper or cardboard packaging and the box goes back to be reused.

A delivery from the fishmonger, which comes wrapped in paper in a plastic crate that goes back. I freeze it in Tupperware.

I get a similar delivery from the butcher but he uses polystyrene trays and clingfilm or plastic bags.

I've ordered the trial of Smol DW and laundry tabs. Does anyone have an an opinion on their other products?

Looking at my recycling, it mostly seems to consist of yogurt pots (I buy the big ones and do reuse in the freezer, but there's a limit to how many you need), cleaning products and toiletries, plus plastic packaging from online orders.

What are your most successful and/or cost effective swaps?

I searched online and found there were several eco shops I could get to. One has become my fave and, apart from the odd slip up with stock control I now get all pasta, rice, cous cous, loose tea, herbs and spices, laundry detergent, fabric conditioner, washing up liquid, soap and shampoo there. Their stock keeps expanding and I've recently added nuts, dried fruit, cooking oil and sandwich bags for DS packed lunches to my regular shopping from there.

All fresh fruit and veg comes from a local greengrocer so most is loose unpackaged.
If you can find an eco or refill shop near you, you might be amazed what you can get plastic free.

We have soap bar holders on the wall so the bar attaches with a magnet, very retro 😂

My teen DCs have stuck with shower gel but they do use it fairly frugally. The only other cosmetics they use are shampoo, conditioner and deodorant so they aren't doing too badly.

We started baking bread instead of buying it in lockdown but I now don't have breadbags to re-use, which is a bit annoying. I try and use boxes for stuff in the fridge but things like cheese and ham seem to become invisible to the other family members in them compared to when I clingfilmed them so we waste food accidentally sometimes. Same with beeswax wraps.

Plastic containers from takes away with lids are reused for storage and children's packed lunches.

Fold up bags - I keep one in my handbag and another in my car. I rarely buy plastic bags.

Reusable panty liners, cotton wool pads and period knickers.

I've just realised I wasn't clear, the stuff from the eco shop is also bought on a refill basis, so no packaging. Well, the shampoo bars and sandwich bags come in cardboard, that's it. I've been using washable sanitary towels for years and my only regret is that I didn't start sooner. I find them more comfortable.

Elasticated food coverings instead of cling film
Reusable baby wipes (haven't been brave enough to try nappies yet)
Washable dish scourers (instead of the metal and sponge ones that get rank and you just chuck)

Would love to get all loose fruit, veg and butchers meat etc but just can't afford it at the moment so if anyone has any tips on affordable ways to cut down food packaging that would be great!

Oh and just got some washable sanitary pads that I'm yet to try so can't say if I'll stick to them yet

@rosesbloom You can recycle contact lenses and the blister packs www.terracycle.com/en-GB/brigades/acuvue

I found a refill store so now thats where i get my rice and pasta and oats and a few other bits as and when recently got flour and bread flour. Need to calm down on the chilli rice crackers though

Re usable sandwich bags

Stainless steel straws

Cheeky wipes cloths for face washing/make up removal.

Reusabls sanitary pads and menstrual cup and period underwear as cup back up.

I had moved over to the pads a couple of years or so ago now kicking myself for not knowing about it all sooner wish I'd done it years ago. I resisted the cup when i found out about them as they freaked me out but the tampon shortage in lockdown gave me the kick up the arse to try. And I'm.so glad I did and wish I had done it sooner . Periods are almost fun now with funky patterns and cups u can just forget about.

Warn you now though. They are addictive. Be careful not to undo the plastic free work by ordering enough pads to sink a ship...

I've had one of these for years and still going strong, keeps sandwiches nice and fresh

re-wrap-it.co.uk/

Shampoo bars - The bath bubble and beyond do great ones and they're made in England.

Using soap not shower gel

I have some stretchy silicone food covers that I use instead of clingfilm. I also have been reusing some washable breast pads that I found in the back of a drawer as makeup remover pads and for toner. Bars of soap, except for in the kitchen where I refill my pump using the carex refill pouch, does i think four refills, so less plastic rather than zero. Washable fabric face masks. I've tried washable sanitary protection but don't get on with it but I use non-applicator tampons anyway so very little plastic.

Powder detergent rather than liquid. Comes in cardboard and has comparatively reduced weight. Plus use half recommended amount anyway as softer water area.

Refillable spray bottles and make up one vinegar plus water and one soapy detergent + water.

Washable cloths rather than paper or disposable towels.

Bar soaps.

Tea bags without plastic in. Loose tea.

Iron and velvet cleaning products - lovely scent and come in tiny sachets which dissolve in water in a small letter box friendly box.

Milk from the milkman in the glass jars. Tastes way nicer. Also provide orange juice/eggs etc, some will do fruit and veg boxes. Less deliveries/less damage to the environment.
Eggs fresh from local farmers. No plastic trays, just take a cardboard egg container and reduce all the manufacturing behind en egg going from a large scale factory/farm to supermarket.
Reuse plastic containers from the takeaway.
Wash powder in cardboard as opposed to pods/tablets/liquids.
Dishwasher powder. I figure less plastic than each one being wrapped in plastic.
Reuse plastic bags for waste paper bins. I have an abundance of these due to online food shopping all coming in bags.

Soap in a bar rather than liquid soap
Fish fingers and potato waffles are in cardboard
Duchy organic oats are in cardboard too
Washable sanitary towels
All easy swaps for me

I also sometimes do refillable shampoo (can't get on with the bars) but that's less convenient

We do same as suggested, given up shower cream for soap etc

But our big one is that we invested in a soda stream this summer. I used to buy bottles of flavoured water, now I just get the cordial and make the fizzy water myself!

[quote TyneTeas]@rosesbloom You can recycle contact lenses and the blister packs www.terracycle.com/en-GB/brigades/acuvue[/quote]
OMG, that has actually made my day

So do I just collect them up and drop them off? Mine aren't Acuvue, does that matter?

Oo definitely little blue hen shampoo bars. Genuinely great, every bit as good as liquid shampoo, no getting used to it required. I also love her soap.

We find splosh refills absolutely fine and easy.

Food is the main culprit, so I TRY to make a batch of kids snacks / lunchbox fillers once a week, I do cheese scones, oat biscuits or low sugar muffins.

We terracycle things like crisps etc but still try to avoid it if possible.

Bar soap/shampoo.
Conditioner from a refill shop.
Staple goods that can’t be bought in paper/card are bought at a refill shop. If you don’t have containers and don’t want to buy any you can buy goods in paper bags.
I don’t eat meat or dairy.
I only buy clothes made of natural fibres.
No fast fashion.
I use flannels for cleaning rather than microfibre etc so microplastics aren’t leached during the washing process.
Rarely drive (central London so that is easy).
Toys for my son are generally second hand and donated when he is finished with them.
Cleaning products are refilled, including laundry liquid etc rather than a new bottle each time.
No palm oil.

I now by beer from a local brewery where the bottles are washed and reused.

Ecoleaf do dishwasher tablets with no plastic. There is a wrap that dissolves in the machine. I get them from a health food shop.

Is anyone else finding it harder to recycle odds and ends that don't go in the kerbside collection now? Ours is quite limited so I used to take all my foil and jam jar lids to the tip, but you have to book a slot now, can't just call in when passing, save all the milk bottle caps from work and take them to a collection point that has gone now, crisp packet recycling point has gone now too. And there is nowhere to take tetrapaks at all here.

Bees wax wraps instead of clingfilm. I use splosh cleaners so just refill the bottles I already have. Smol for dishwasher. I use faith in nature shampoo/conditioner/shower gel so again refill at our local refill shop. Face products I get from face theory as they come in little glass jars and are cruelty free/vegan. Still a long way to go but am slowy replacing things.

Oh, foil, jar lids and terrapak go in our kerbside collection go in our kerbsode collection. Perhaps you need to lobby your council?

I'm not sure about crisp bags. They're not on the included list but they're not on the excluded list either. I do put them in, but I hope that's not doing more harm than good

This is slightly off the subject, but we swapped to a power supplier that uses only wind or solar generated electricity.