to ask what you're doing to reduce your use of plastics?

[k2p2k2tog]

Lots of coverage on the BBC yesterday about how we used to ship loads of plastics for recycling to China, and China have said they aren't taking it any more.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42455378

Of course recycling is a good thing. But that should come third after reduce and reuse.

Plastics are an environmental nightmare - we can't avoid all plastics but we can certainly reduce what we're using. I've just ordered reusable sandwich wraps for the kids to take to school rather than wrapping in cling film. Little steps. If everyone does a little bit, we can reduce the total amount of plastics.

So what are you doing???

canvas bags and crates for shopping.

lose eg/fruit and not using the flimsy plastic bags.

not using bin bags

Milk bottles are glass. I use a metal flask for hot drinks out and a metal bottle for cold drinks out. No cling film.
Need to stop using supermarkets though.

I have a stupid question about reusable sanitary pads.

Inspired by this thread, I have just bought some, but it's not obvious to me whether I wear them with the cloth, patterned side facing up or the dark, sort of fleecy, side. I have googled but this question doesn't come up - perhaps because it's so obvious (not to me).

TIA for any assistance!

There is a fantastic recycling place near us (here in France) that turns plastic bottles into garden furniture. We bought edging for the beds in the garden which is fantastically robust. It is very very expensive though.

Jaimes I'd imagine it's the patterned side down. What make are they? Also, if you're on Facebook, there's a great closed group called The Bloody Waste where you can find and ask all sorts about reusable menstrual products.

Jaimes, the ones I use are patterned side up, so that it's cotton next to your skin.

Yep, we need the make as mine are patterned side down. Mine are Eco Femme.

I'll do the same as I've been doing for years.

Buying reusable stuff instead of disposables (e.g., washable nappies, washable sanitary pads, mooncup) and mostly just buying less and wasting less

Personally I don't think changing from disposable plastic to disposable something else, like cardboard, is very environmentally friendly. All waste is damaging to a greater or lesser degree. Plastic is the latest fashionable evil, before that it was CO2, before that radioactive waste, but they are all bad. The best thing we can do is consume less and by doing so we will reduce waste of all sorts.

Disappointing attitudes from some on this thread everyone is capable of making a little difference and it all adds up.

@thevanguardsix yes to cheeky wipes! Although I only use them on ds for pee nappies. Not poop ones yet. It’s a start though. Am also using them (I have different colours) for removing my make up and cleaning the kitchen (pink for me, blue for ds’ bum yellow for his bath and green for the kitchen)

I had a package from amazon yesterday - a new razor. The box was enormous. And full of bubble wrap. I’ve emailed and complained. Im sure they used to do eco packaging but don’t see that option any more.

The brand is YIGO, which I now see is imported from China. Wonder how long it will take to offset the packaging and delivery impact on the environment

Further investigation suggests these are worn bamboo side up.

I know I need to make more changes. Reading this thread for ideas. We really are a very wasteful household and the sheer amount of recycling bags and bin bags this week has been a depressing sight.

I'm not ready to do reusable SanPro, although moved from plastic applicator tampons to non-applicator ones.

I already take a sports bottle of water everywhere with me (this is because I begrudge paying for water). Sure we have a couple of hard sandwich boxes for packed lunches, will try to find some more. The take away we had the other week had plastic boxes which we've washed and will use as extra Tupperware rather than put in the recycling.

Trying to pick the products with less packaging on them when shopping. That's not easy though. Why is it that citrus fruit will be put in a string bag, but other fruit in plastic?

For the weekly "big shop", is it more environmentally friendly to get it delivered than go yourself? Wondered if it's better to have one van driving round several local houses than several people driving to/from the same supermarket. Does anyone know?

Keep the "easy wins" for people crap at this stuff coming!

It did occur to me when having to do a sample for medical reasons that these tubes must be thrown away in the yellow bin and that must be create a lot of waste?

The mesh bag for citrus fruits is made of polypropene or polyethene; plastic bags are made of polyethene. I imagine, although don’t know, that mesh is fine for the citrus fruits as they are peeled before consumption. The problem with using mesh is that they then need to be labelled separately with a clip and tag, whereas the bags can be overprinted. Either way, both methods use plastic.

A weekly shop can be incredibly wasteful (present company excepted), both in food waste and petrol. I shop everyday so I just buy what I know I am going to eat that day, so no food waste (except for peelings which go on the compost heap). Because I only need 1 or 2 bags, I walk, so don’t use any petrol.

It would be interesting to know the environmental impact of grocery delivery. Using refrigerated vans and leaving their engines running is not good for the environment, but the service does provide jobs, so good for the economy.

I can't stand bars of soap, they are unhygienic.

I can't stand bars of soap, they are unhygienic.

no they are not unhygienic

Glad to see this thread as my NY resolution is to stop buying things that are overpackaged in plastic. Loose fruit and veg, bread and pastries in paper bags etc. from now on.

I have a friend who schedules the delivery routes for a supermarket. If you imagine the supermarket at the centre of the area and everyone coming in and going out you get a pattern like a spider with 30 odd legs. Instead of that you get a wobbly circle (ish) for the delivery route. Its far more efficient if you only factor in driving miles. Of course there are also the other considerations though. Nothing is ever simple to assess.

PurplePillowCase I beg to differ when you see one in the shower with choice hairs in there yuk!

It would be interesting to know the environmental impact of grocery delivery
I have also wondered about that, most of my grocery shopping is done on foot I walk to the local supermarket three or four times a week with a large backpack carry all home up the hill so I get a workout at the same time 😁

Just not for me...sorry

I like antibacterial handwash as well...

Maybe this will help
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42564948
MPs are calling for a 25p "latte levy" on disposable coffee cups - and a total ban unless recycling improves.

A report by the Environmental Audit Committee says the tax should be used to improve the UK's recycling and reprocessing facilities.

The MPs say throwaway cups should be prohibited altogether by 2023 if they are not all being recycled.

A friend of mine posted a picture on Facebook of her pre-Christmas Sainsbury's delivery and I noticed that it was packaged in what appeared to be new plastic bags. A lot of them too.

PasstheStarmix

Why are you leaving hairs in your soap and then being grossed out by them? Check there are no hairs after every shower.

And if they are other people's hairs, well, you can have your own soap in your own soap dish so no one uses it.

There are solutions. Just because you don't like soap doesn't mean it's unhygienic. Soap is self cleansing.

Cantuccit i like your joke I'm obviously taking about other people's and all of the germs that come with that and don't fancy multiple soap bars festering around my shower/sink area... like I said it's just not for me, no need to get your knickers in twist, it's not personal is it?