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?

Soap, shampoo and conditioner bars.
All come in cardboard boxes.
I have always used powder detergent in cardboard boxes for clothes washing.

Have been using cloth bags for shopping for around a decade, as I just find them easier to deal with.
Washing powder instead of tabs/liquid.
Soap instead of shower gel
I’ve made my own cosmetic pads to replace the mountain of cotton wool I consumed
Plastic containers from takeaway get reused as food containers
I bought a sodastream to reduce plastic bottles
I mend torn clothing, have a sweater brick to remove pilling from knitwear so clothes last a bit longer
Diluted zoflora in spray bottle for cleaning
I had some cloth produce bags, but can’t ruddy well find them.

Yes, they will take any brand of lenses

Made my own face and cleaning cloths. Planning to make my own san pro next.
Reuse takeaway tubs.
Bar soap.

I did buy bar shampoo but it makes my hair feel greasy. Not sure where I'm going wrong.
Also bought beeswax wraps but aren't getting on with them either. I can't get them to stick and stay closed

What do people do about rubbish bags? I find if I use my reusable bags then I can't get rid of my rubbish or would need to buy bin bags which probably isn't any better than having carrier bags and reusing gor the bin.

I'm trying to use less rubbish bags. So the bedroom, lounge and bathroom bins all have bags in, but i empty them into the kitchen bin bag to put them out. As in tip the rubbish out but keep the bag in the bin. They've had the same bags in for about 6 months now.

No idea if that's helping, but i feel like it is.

Soap, shampoo and conditioner bars
Nuts, pulses, rice, pasta etc from a refil station
Flannels instead of cotton wool for removing make up
Pit Rock deodorant stick (it's still packaged in plastic, but one stick lasts for years)
Mooncup
Milk in reusable glass bottles

I bought an old victorian soap dish from ebay to keep my soap from getting grungy underneath - they come with a drainer inside the bowl so that the soap stays dry. I just stick in the dishwasher from time to time (usually when I need a new bar). I remember my mum used to make new bars of soap from the dregs of old ones with a mould so I need to see if I can find one so as not to waste the tiddly little bits.

Farm shop for veg/fruit/salad - no plastic packaging, meat from local butcher as they don’t use plastic bags.

Washing powder a soppy to liquid.

Chocolate in cardboard/foil wrapping instead of plastic. Severely restricts choice but helps my waistline.

Others that I can’t think of right now.

I use a LOT of stock in my cooking and I don't like stock cubes. For a while - there was a special offer on - I was buying it from the supermarket. I have plenty of tubs for my own home made stock, which I bulk make every now and again. They're also handy for putting ingredients it when prepping (ginger cubes to defrost, garlic slices, coriander to go in at the end).

I also use cat litter made out of recycled newspapers (Pets At Home do a bag that lasts me 5 weeks for £14). Technically, it can be composted, but my local council won't. But it is much easier to scoop the poop and stick it in the loo, now that it doesn't go with a load of grit.

toilet roll delivered in cardboard rather than plastic - the average plastic packaging from bog roll is 29 packets
farm shop click and collect all veg comes loose in box
washing powder is better for your machine
non dairy milk comes on cardboard

I've made my own face wipes, with cotton fabric on one side and flannel on the other.

Also made my own little food pouches, which I've lined with waterproof fabric.

I keep meaning too try making my own yoghurt, but I don't want to buy an actual yoghurt maker.

Bars of soap and reusable cotton pads for cleansing. Cotton crocheted dishcloths and coir scrubby things for washing up.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie what waterproof fabric did you use please? Food pouches are on my to make list when I buy more fabric. I was reading about PUL, some claims to be food grade and some not. But some websites seemed to think it doesn't matter. (I'm quite new to the world of fabric so get confused )

Switched to bamboo toothbrushes. Still have nylon bristles but every little counts! I'm finding that they last much longer than the plastic ones so although a more expensive than the supermarket cheapies I used before, I think it balances out!

The council has been lobbied by many people for many years. The only things we can put in the kerbside collection are card/paper, glass, tins and plastic bottles (no other plastics at all including simple things like soft fruit punnets). It's annoying.

I do sometimes make yogurt in the Instant pot but we don't use much of it. Delicious though.

It's a waterproof pillow case. No idea if it's food grade or not, but it hasn't killed me so far!

Yogurt instant pot?

The recycling is all very good but I do fear it's a bit of a comfort blanket and what we really need to do is use less of everything. It's good for our conscience but I worry that a lot of it never gets recycled and that even when it does, it uses too much energy to be considered environmentally sound.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie

It's a waterproof pillow case. No idea if it's food grade or not, but it hasn't killed me so far!

Thanks. I've got an old waterproof mattress protector that I could use! Hadn't thought of that!

Ocean saver cleaning products.
Cheeky wipes period pants
Cheeky wipes and little lambs nappies if u have a LO
Dish cloths instead of sponges
Milk and more milk deliveries

@otterbaby

Using soap and shampoo bars.

Beeswax wraps instead of cling film.

Do you wear makeup? I have washable face pads that take my makeup off. They're called facehalo.

I also use micro fibre cloths instead of sponges to wash dishes. Just pop in the wash with other towels.

Cotton dish cloths are much better as microfiber sheds micro plastics.

They're normally like 3 for £1 and wash really well.

I make my own: wash powder, fabric cond, dishwasher powder

Bought swaps: i love my eco kitchen dish brush and my bamboo toothbrush + copper tongue scraper. I loveee my reusable nappies for DS which is bizarre haha

I dont like beeswax wraps - they went all powdery after a couple of uses? Can anyone shed light on this? Also do they make your sandwiches taste weird?

Tip for little bits of soap - you're going to need an old pair of tights that you're on the point of binning. Cut a foot off the tights, gather up a few bits and stick them in, tie a knot. Use like soap.

I came to this because DS mangles soap.

I mean to tag @Londonmummy66 in the post above.

@SimpleComforts I’ve been using the smol washing pods for ages and love them, got the fabric conditioner too now and it smells lovely. Not sure on the dish washing tabs as I don’t have one!

I’m not as good as some but have stopped buying cling film, gone back to bar soap and stopped buying wipes of any kind. I have reusable pads to remove my make up and plenty of cloths for cleaning.

I’ve starting using a brand called ‘Green People’ for my toiletries. The products are lovely, cruelty free, ethical and lots of the ingredients are organic too.