To wonder how it's possible to reduce plastic waste

[Survivedanotherday]

This is a genuine question. Off the back of a few threads about climate change, the one thing that comes up time and time again is to reduce your plastic waste.
We are all aware that we are drowning in plastic, and this is something that does worry me.

It's all very well to throw away comments such as "just reduce your plastic waste" but considering virtually everything has plastic in it, where do you even begin?
I recycle religiously but it turns out that a lot of plastic isn't even recyclable!
What do we do??

There are lots of useful websites and Facebook groups that can help you find alternatives to plastic - plasticisrubbish.com is a great starting point and Facebook groups like plastic-free living tip swap can be good too. My advice is start with small swaps and do it gradually, and don’t beat yourself up about not being perfect - nobody is. Things like carrying your own reusable shopping bags and refillable water bottle are good starting points. Also look in your bin or recycling container to see what the main contents are and whether you could reduce them somehow.

In terms of pregnancy, looking at things like reusable breast pads, maternity pads, nappies and wipes would all be ways to reduce plastic. Again there are tons of resources online with advice eg nappy lady website, cloth nappy groups on Facebook, cheeky wipes, nappy library network.

Good luck, every bit makes a difference

Thank you, some useful info there. It's hard not to get so bogged down by it all, but something really needs to be done. I wish more was being done the world over x

Hi OP,

We're going to move your thread out of pregnancy and into our ethical living topic as we're sure you'll get some more answers there.

Thanks, silly me, didn't mean to post it here!!

I'd start by looking at your own plastic waste to see what you make the most of and go from there. There will be lots of results if you google but much may not apply specifically to you.

I was getting through a surprising amount of water bottles so got a new filter for my Brit's jug and collapsible bottles so I always have one empty in my bag for grabbing drinks when out and about (don't tell the person on the other thread who thinks we should only ever drink at home!)

One thing at a time OP. And remember, there are some things that are easier than others. Things I do:
Carry a cup, water bottle and cutlery if out and about.
Some reusable sanpro.
Never take plastic bags in shops.
Soap instead of shower gel and face wash, solid shampoo.
Avoid takeaways, ready meals.
Have a look at where you think you can make some easy changes.

I have been thinking about this a lot. Been doing water bottles for years as I am a miser but struggling with toiletries. Fine replacing shower gel with soap but cant get on with shampoo bars as they make my hair feel awful. Spent last night googling refills for shampoo and there isn't much out there. Ditto for deodorant. I try to buy loose veg/fruit and have my own shopping bags. I am finding it harder than it should be.

I’ve been working really hard recently to reduce the amount of plastic I buy. It’s helped my pocket too as sometimes I just refuse to buy things if I don’t really need them. But sometimes I wonder if it’s actually making any difference when you see all the tonnes of plastic being produced for so much unnecessary stuff like toys or novelty items and loads more stuff. Are we actually making a difference?

The Body Shop would be making a killing if they still did their refills and lovely old fragrances of shampoo.
I’ve stopped using Ocado for a number of reasons but the main one was the ridiculous number of plastic bags they give out I’m trying reduce, not just recycle!
I’m trying to buy my oil in a tin, and squash in a glass bottle but it does cost more and isn’t an option for everyone.
I think supermarkets should reintroduce the 5p per bottle return or something similar, and take a good look at their packaging.

Trying to make small adjustments.

Swapped shower gel for bar soap.
Glass bottled deodorant
Using milkman who delivers glass bottles
Got an e-cloth pan scrubber thing that's washable instead of throwing the plastic sponges out.
Use simple cotton dishcloths or cut up old muslins to clean, which I wash with tea towels.
Switched to Splosh cleaners (refill bottles)
Washing powder in cardboard box
Reusable coffee cups etc. Try not to buy plastic bottled drinks when out.
Got a mirena so don't do periods, so i reckon that's a few eco friendly points 😂

Currently eyeing up making beeswax wraps. I used very little cling film as I use Tupperware containers for extra food but it's handy for packed lunches.

I reckon lots of small changes all add up.

Every day I look for one thing I can change to reduce my plastic and non-recyclable waste. Try not to use plastic alternatives to single use items, string or hessian/cotton shopping bags instead of bags for life, metal lunch boxes, cotton kitchen cloths instead of microfibre.

I am trying splosh for cleaning products, they send you out refills for the products instead of buying more plastic.

Reducing really should be the headline, then re-using and lastly recycling. I think people often get that topsy-turvy.

We've also started having a milk delivery, glass bottles and metal lids and the kids are super excited and told everyone about it!

I do think the personal hygiene market are missing a trick, they need to be selling everything in a concentrated form in pouches to go into refill bottles.

I think it’s worth it. I was that the government minister who should be driving through these changes wouldn’t stand up and promote one meat free day a week- which would make a change and not be too much of a chore.
We should be thinking about this and the more people that do, the more “normal” it becomes.
Just look at the rise of Veganism.

Some great ideas here. Refillable hygiene products, this needs to be a thing!

Re veganism, I read a very interesting article today saying that it isn't necessarily the best way to go. Yes, I agree totally that meat consumption needs to be reduced, but always good to consider various options. Worth a read if you have the time.

www.filmsforaction.org/articles/if-you-want-to-save-the-world-veganism-isnt-the-answer/

I've never bought into single use plastic bottles, so I've not made any changes there. I have travel cups and glass water bottles that I use when out, but like you say, we're surrounded by plastic. I've started using a milkman again, but there's no way I could have afforded to do that when I had small children in the house - we went through at least six pints a day.

Have been using reuseable shopping bags for years. Try to get to market where most fruit and veg is served in paper bags. Upped my herb growing this year so I don't buy the supermarket pots any more.

Dug out breadmaker and now make all our bread again. Also yogurt. Homemade coleslaw (so easy) so that's fewer plastic tubs.

Soap and shampoo bars instead of shower gel and shampoo. Only the Lush shampoo bars work for me. Tried others but ended up using them as soap because they made my hair feel as if it had been waxed. Coconut oil in glass jar as cleanser. I've also started making hand cream, cleaning sprays etc, but the ingredients (vinegar, bicarb, cocoa butter etc) are all wrapped in plastic. Still, much less plastic. Homemade washing powder mixed with Aldi bio.

Daughter setting up home, so she has taken a lot of plastic boxes and microfibre cloths off my hands, so I have replaced with glass lidded containers for food storage and just use cotton or bamboo cloths now. Already had those, but I used to prefer the microfibre/ e cloths. Won't use them now because of the pollution issue. I had no idea about that.

What else? Recycled toilet roll. Kitchen roll only for pet accidents now. Handkerchieves instead of tissues. Cotton pads instead of baby wipes - I have a bottle of water with a few drops of almond oil and lemongrass oil to use with them. Sainsburys do olive oil in tins and dishwasher powder rather than tablets.

We don't eat meat, but we do eat fish and dairy products which I know are just as problematic.

I’m finding it really difficult to comprehend how it can have been allowed to get so bad. I have been researching ecobricks which has inspired me to really push myself to reduce our plastic consumption/waste as a family. I quite like the ecobricks philosophy but I actually don’t necessarily agree with storing up this issue for later; we need to tackle the use of it in the first place, surely?

My pledges for my family are as follows:
Be even more stringent with kerbside recycling so that everything stands a higher chance of actually being recycled!

Avoid ‘packets within packets’ eg crisps, snacks, etc

Switch to Morrison’s for fruit and veg as they now have paper bags (apparently, need to check this out) to try to eliminate trays/film on fresh produce.

Switch to bars of soap, shampoo, conditioner etc

Switch from coffee pods (I know, they’re awful, I feel nauseous at the thought of those pods)

Get a moon cup

Switch from any black plastic trays (ham, meat etc)

There will be more, but these are a start. The difficulty will be Dh, he just doesn’t see the environmental concerns like I do, and I’d imagine there are millions of people like him. I think we’ve been led to believe that as long as we recycle (which most families do) that that’s enough, but it really isn’t, is it? I feel really let down by our government and a bit embarrassed that I never questioned it before.

Any advice gratefully received

I think with family etc. who are not quite as bought into it as you, the best thing is just to do your thing and be an example. Trying to change people's minds can lead to defensiveness and no change at all.

Yes I agree. I think we’ve been allowed to ‘not care’ about the environment, and I’m not talking about stopping litter or flytipping, I just mean people have been allowed to think that they’re doing enough and not really ever be forced to consider what actually happens when something goes in the bin.

I’ve just been and written on all our bin lids ‘NO PLASTIC IN THIS BIN’ so hopefully then they will ask me what to do with it and I can direct them.

Did you know that from 3rd October you can use your own reusable containers at Tesco’s meat/fish counter? And some stores will be trialling a 10p return for plastic bottles, which is positive. I counted upwards of 10 bottles on my run last night so anything that encourages people to collect them to return them is a positive step

Excuse the sun link!

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.thesun.co.uk/money/7361056/tesco-to-pay-shoppers-for-plastic-bottles-as-part-of-new-recycling-plans/amp/

That's great news! Well done Tesco! Come on all the other big retailers! ....