HOW TO DITCH PLASTIC FOR GOOD
PLASTIC FREE JULY WILL SEE PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD COME TOGETHER IN A BID TO BANISH THE STUFF THAT’S CHOKING OUR WORLD. LOOKS AT THE LITTLE CHANGES THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE
Only nine per cent of all the plastic ever made has been recycled, according to Friends of the Earth. And with most plastic still ending up in landfills, people, businesses and governments need to take urgent action to curb the amount of waste we produce.
Rebecca Prince-ruiz, founder of the Plastic Free Foundation, the nonprofit organisation behind Plastic Free July, says, “The plastic out there in the environment is our plastic and we can all do something to make a difference and leave behind a different legacy. Do one thing in your daily lives to reduce your use of single-use plastics.”
Wendy Graham doesn’t claim to be entirely plastic-free yet, but the green lifestyle blogger (moralfibres.co.uk) says a good place to make a big impact is in the kitchen. “Use the plastic items you have and when they reach the end of their life, look at plastic-free replacements,” she urges. Her other tips include:
● Refill empty washing up liquid, laundry detergent and all-purpose cleaner containers at Ecover stockists (see ecover. com/store-locator). Welsh company Splosh (splosh.com) provides starter packs of household cleaners in long-lasting recycled bottles which you then top up with refills which are small enough to fit through your letter box – so no more missing deliveries. Send empty refill packs back to Splosh to be recycled and when the bottles eventually die, the company will send your replacements free of charge.
● Ecoleaf dishwasher tablets come in a water-soluble wrapper that dissolves. They cost £5.54 for 25 at ethicalsuperstore.com.
● Ditch clingfilm, which is unrecyclable, and store food in bowls covered with plates or in reusable glass containers.
● Use ceramic or glass mixing bowls and wooden utensils instead of plastic. A Redecker wooden dish brush (£3.50, cotswoldtrading.com) looks very stylish too.
● Plastic straws are the ultimate no-no, so invest in some cool stainless steel ones – £9.99 for eight from salterhousewares.co.uk
● swap shampoo and conditioner bottles for gorgeous, scented bars (kinkind.co.uk), which contain natural ingredients like coconut, rosemary and citrus and cost £6 each. That works
The smallest room in the house poses the biggest problem when cutting plastic use, as so many hygiene and beauty products are packaged in it. But you can save the planet and without disrupting your beauty routine.
● Around 1.8 million plastic-stemmed cotton buds are used in England each year with many of them flushed down the toilet. The Marine Conservation society says they’re one of the most common items washed up on beaches. They are banned in scotland, but a proposed ban in England and Wales in April was postponed due to worries about burdens on business during the coronavirus. For now, choose biodegradable buds with paper or bamboo stems. A pack of 200 is currently on special offer at £2.91 from itsallaboutyou.co.uk. ● A traditional safety razor plus a pack of five blades costs £14 from peacewiththewild.co.uk. You’re not only saving the planet but your pocket, as pound for pound, disposable razors are some of the most expensive things sold in supermarkets. ● Even recycled toilet roll usually comes wrapped in plastic, but Cheeky Panda’s toilet tissue – made from 100 per cent sustainable bamboo – is plastic-free. You can also find plastic-free pocket tissue and kitchen roll at cheekypanda.co.uk or buy in stores including superdrug and robert dyas. out at about 50 washes each and saves two plastic bottles every time.
● Face Halo make-up remover pads are made of fluffy microfibre and need only water to effortlessly remove your slap. They can be washed up to 200 times in the washing machine and when you’ve eventually used them up, you can return them to Face Halo for recycling. A pack of three costs £18 at Amazon.
● Glow organics’ Ere Perez Quinoa Water Foundation (£29) comes in a glass bottle with a dispensing pipette and cardboard packaging.
● Boots.com sells the Humble Brush, a bamboo-stemmed toothbrush, for £4.
Electric toothbrushes with replaceable heads are made of plastic, but you’ll end up using fewer than a conventional manual brush and the unit will last for a few years, depending on how many people in your family use it. sometimes you can’t do it all at once but, as lifestyle blogger Wendy says, “slow and steady wins the race.”
● sanitary towels are up to 90 per cent plastic if you take into account the packaging according to research by the Women’s Environmental Network. ohne tampons (ohne. com) are made from 100 per cent unbleached organic cotton and keep plastic wrapping to a minimum. A portion of the profits go to the charity school Club Zambia, which helps girls access education. or try a Mooncup
– a washable silicone cup worn in your vagina that collects menstrual blood to be discreetly washed away. For a range of eco-friendly cosmetics and hygiene products from make-up to menstrual cups visit Newfootprint.co.uk
● Conventional plasters create around two billion metres of plastic waste every year – much of which ends up floating in our oceans. Patch bamboo plasters (£6.99 at Holland & Barrett, superdrug and Planet organic for a pack of 25) are a biodegradable must-have for your first-aid kit.
Gardeners’ World presenter Alys Fowler worked with Friends of the Earth to create her top tips for a plastic-free garden.
● Buy biodegradable Vipots made from plant husks (£4 for a pack of 10x9cm pots or £4.50 for six 1ltr size at tinyplantcompany.co.uk). “They look and feel like regular pots but can last several years,” says Alys. “When they do finally crack, they can go on to the compost.”
● “Yoghurt pots and takeaway containers are perfect for seedlings,” she says. “Afterwards you can recycle them in the council system.”
● If you’re into growing your own and have space, get a greenhouse. “Try ebay, Freecycle and Gumtree for pre-loved plastic-free ones,” says Alys. “Metal ones are easy to put up, but wooden ones are easier to fix. Both make a much nicer feature in your garden than plastic.”
● Billions of pet food pouches end up in landfill every year and fewer than one in 20,000 are recycled according to Friends of the Earth, making them more of a burden than single use coffee cups. Buy recyclable tins or dried food in cardboard packaging – or make your own.
dogs and cats love liver and kidneys, which can often be bought cheaply from the butcher or supermarket meat counter. Pet food companies like Lily’s Kitchen have pioneered recyclable containers.
● There are nine million dogs in the UK so that means a lot of poo – 1,000 tons a day according to Friends of the Earth. Always scoop your pooch’s poop into a biodegradable bag like those available at vetuk.co.uk.