Adopting plastic-free alternatives that are practical and sustainable doesn’t have to be difficult. Changing a few key items in your life will go a long way to reduce your carbon footprint.
Here are eight plastic-free products that look, and do good.
1.
Bamboo Toothbrushes
Globally, about 23 billion plastic toothbrushes are trashed each year, each one taking up to 500 years to fully decompose. Bamboo is a natural material, is fast-growing and 100% biodegradable, decomposing in landfill within 6 months.
2.
Steel Containers and Drinking Straws
Consider switching out your plastic lunch container and straws for steel ones; steel can be infinitely recycled and is 100% recyclable without losing its quality, ensuring sturdy and durable containers for years to come.
3.
Menstrual Cups
Did you know that in 2018, over 17 billion tampons were sold globally?
A less wasteful alternative is a menstrual cup, that can be safely used again and again and can hold up to three times as much liquid as a tampon! Additionally, they don’t shed microplastics, as conventional period care does. We like LUÜNA Period Cups which are made of 100% medical grade silicone, are super soft and can last for up to eight years.
4.
Glass
While not biodegradable, glass is relatively inexpensive and infinitely recyclable. Jars can be added to your no-waste toolkit for shopping from bulk stores, or they can be repurposed to store leftovers, use as sprouting jars or serve as decorations around the house.
5.
Natural Fibres
Natural fibres are just that – natural and won’t shed microplastics when washed or used unlike synthetic fibres like polyester or acrylic that are more problematic for the environment and often used for cleaning & in the kitchen. Natural fibres include organic cotton, hemp and bamboo.
6.
Organic Cotton Bags
As less than 5% of the 1 trillion single-use plastic bags discarded each year gets recycled, consider switching to organic cotton bags, which are free of chemical residues and decompose in landfill within 5 months. Check out Slowood’s reusable organic cotton bags. It may be helpful to put a reusable bag in your handbag or backpack and car to make sure that you don’t need to buy a new reusable bag everytime you go out!
7.
Shampoo & Soap Bars
Shampoo & soap bars cut out the need for plastic bottles. Even better, many of them are free of palm oil, an ingredient linked to deforestation, like those of Ethique and Meow Meow Tweet. Additionally, shampoo bars are more effective than most conventional shampoos; on average, a one bar will outlast two to three bottles of liquid shampoo.
8.
Compostable Garbage Bags
Plastic bin liners leave an awful lot of additional waste in their wake because they eventually breakdown into microplastics in landfill. Thankfully Live Zero stock these fab 100% biodegradable and compostable bin liners.
As you eliminate plastic from your life, you’re not only cutting your own contribution to the waste stream, you’re modeling more sustainable living for those around you. As demand for more sustainable business practices grows, companies will respond and use of harmful plastics can be stemmed.
Here’s to consumer power.
