Small things YOU can do to reduce your single-use plastic waste.
July 01, 2019
Plastic Free July
It can seem daunting trying to cut out plastic, especially when we are so used to using it in our everyday lives. But the truth is, there are so many easy ways of reducing our single-use plastic waste, every little bit counts!
Opt for beauty products in glass or aluminium packaging. This is an area we often forget about when trying to reduce our plastic use. These materials are far more likely to be recycled than plastic packaging, and if they do end up in landfill, they are less toxic to the environment than plastic is.
Another way you can reduce plastic in your beauty routine is to purchase refillable glass bottle for shampoos, conditioner, body wash and hand soap. Not only are they so much cuter than your average plastic bottle. But it means that you have the option of buying these products in a bulk size and refilling your glass bottle as needed. This doesn’t eliminate your plastic use all together, but it will significantly reduce it.
Easy switches can make all the difference, think about all of the little things you use on an everyday basis and choose a more eco-friendly alternative. Plastic toothbrush? Choose a bamboo one instead! You can even find plastic free bamboo Q-tips and biodegradable makeup wipes, it’s just a matter of being more conscious about the products we buy and use.
Replace every-day single use plastics with biodegradable or eco-friendly alternatives. Bin liners, cling wrap, tea bags, takeaway containers, even laundry detergents and other household products will almost always have a more eco-friendly or plastic free alternative. Think cardboard packaging, wax paper food wraps, loose leaf tea, glass food storage containers and much more.
Don’t forget your reusable shopping bags! Whether you’re shopping for clothing, food, stationery, or anything in between. Most stores will offer you a plastic bag with your purchase. Instead, come prepared with your own bag or simply just carry smaller items if you forget to bring one with you. Simple. You can even use your LE` BUNS garment bag as a cute little reusable produce bag.
Choose markets and bulk food stores for your weekly grocery shop. You will usually find that markets offer less pre-packaged produce than a regular supermarket, which is the perfect time to whip out your reusable produce bags and totes. On a similar note, bulk food stores are a fantastic way to significantly reduce your single-use plastic waste as you can use refillable jars or fabric bags to store your food instead of buying them pre-packaged in plastic from the supermarket.
Say no to plastic straws! You may think ‘it’s only one straw’ but if 7 million people have that mindset, that’s 7 million plastic straws that are not biodegradable and will be harmful to the environment in more ways than one. If you can’t go without a straw, metal ones are an amazing alternative, you can find them for an affordable price and their small size means they are easy to carry with you.
Last but definitely not least, shop smarter, especially when it comes to your wardrobe. Did you know that a lot of the clothes we buy are made from polyester or similar synthetic fibres? Polyester is actually a plastic based fibre, meaning that every time we wash garments made of this material, we are actually causing micro-plastic pollution to the environment. So, what’s the solution? Shop more consciously, try to choose natural fibres such as linen, silk and organic cotton when purchasing new items. LÉ BUNS intimates are made using organic cotton, and are made to last. Speaking of shopping, as an online shopping addict myself, I am often shocked by how much plastic packaging is used to package my order. The great thing about shopping at LÉ BUNS is that we use biodegradable post bags and there is no unnecessary packaging, meaning that you can shop with peace of mind, and do your bit for the environment.
Head over to https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/ for more fabulous ideas on how to reduce your single-use plastic waste.
