Plastic-free swaps

Kitchen

Cling film

According to Keep Britain Tidy, the UK alone uses nearly three quarters of a million miles of cling film every year – enough to circle the planet nearly 30 times. The worst part is: the vast majority of this is only ever used once. But there are plenty of ways to avoid it: from the trusty Tupperware to beeswax (or vegan wax) wraps. There’s a little more washing and maintenance needed but pulling ourselves away from the cling film habit can only be a good thing.

Sponges and brushes

Most of the items we use to scrub and wipe our dishes are made of plastic. They’re normally impossible to recycle and can introduce microplastics (plastic pieces smaller than 5mm) into water supplies. Consider switching to a multi-use dish cloth or to some of the other plastic-free alternatives, made from biodegradable materials like wood cellulose and coconut husk.

Paper towels

Similar to toilet paper, kitchen towel normally comes wrapped in tricky-to-recycle plastic. There are plastic-free alternatives out there – from many of the same places that you might be getting your new plastic-free toilet rolls – but it is even more sustainable to use an old-fashioned fabric cloth, and wash and reuse it when it gets dirty!

Other swaps

Detergent

There are brands selling plastic-free detergents but to get really natural you could try soap nuts, a plant native to the Himalayas and some tropical regions that has been used as a cleaning product for centuries. They can be used in place of most soaps and shampoos but in the UK are most commonly promoted as a laundry powder replacement. They can be used for multiple washes and are then 100% compostable!

Deodorant

Not only do most commonly available deodorants come encased in plastic, spray deodorants and their aerosols can have a negative impact on the environment and even our health. A range of products are now available that allow you to buy a refillable case and simply swap out the solid deodorant component when they’re used up.

Greeting cards

Birthdays, weddings, Christmas, anniversaries – there are plenty of occasions in the year for us to send cards. Unfortunately, many still come wrapped in a thin layer of plastic that is difficult or impossible to recycle. Helpfully, some suppliers have realised these are unnecessary and done away with them. As a bonus you could also look out for cards made entirely of recycled paper or even ‘plantable’ cards with wildflower seeds embedded in the paper so that once they’re finished they can create new life.

One last swap

Finally, let’s swap out our Government’s inaction. We can only have so much impact with individual lifestyle actions so we need to make sure those in power also know how we feel. We have a huge opportunity to use our voices to pressure our leaders to take action on plastic waste and the vastly disproportionate impacts it has on people living in poverty. Keep an eye out for our new Rubbish Campaign launching at the beginning of March.