Plastics waste is very topical at the moment especially after the news item where in India they brought in the army to unblock a major river which plastic waste had damned.  This plastic waste was on it’s way to the ocean, and I believe that is where is was still heading after the army got the river flowing again. 

I recycle most of what I can, some days get a bit lazy but mostly it goes into recycling.  I even have a large bin in the pantry for all the soft plastics that can now be recyclable and returned to the supermarkets.

It’s not that long ago that we weren’t using plastics everyday:

Drinking bottles were invented in 1973; the takeaway cup a little longer ago in 1907; plastic straws in the 1960s and plastic bags in 1957.

There was an article in the newspaper about 6 weeks ago on how to reduce plastic waste in your home, most of them were sensible ideas, some of them opened my eyes a little, like use block soap not liquid soap, use teabags without the string and tag on them.  Here’s a list below of 20 things you could do to help reduce the plastic waste, see if you can pick out one or two that you could introduce into your home and make a little difference:

1.         Reusable supermarket bags.

2.         Only buy beverages in glass bottles.

3.         Carry your own reusable drink container.

4.         Use reusable takeaway coffee cups.

5.         Use reusable fruit and vege bags

6.         Don't buy convenience foods packaged in plastic.

7.         Make your own bread.

8.         Clean with baking soda and vinegar instead of cleaners packaged in plastic.

9.         Buy laundry detergent in boxes, not liquid in plastic containers.

10.       Buy farm fresh eggs in reusable paper containers.

11.       Package your leftovers in reusable containers.

12.       Do not use air fresheners. Light a candle or incense instead.

13.       Buy in bulk.

14.       Buy milk in paper cartons.

15.       Buy jams and peanut butter that is packaged in glass containers.

16.       Buy bar soap, not liquid body wash.

17.       Don’t line your rubbish bins with plastic bags

18.       Don’t buy or use straws

19.       Don't use plastic cutting boards. Use wood or glass.

20.       Buy loose tea instead of teabags. 

 

If you use teabags, buy in bulk not individually wrapped or with string and tags on them.