10 Easy Sustainable Swaps
It’s Time to Make some Changes.
Doing sustainable swaps are all the range right now. If you haven’t seen a keep cup or a bamboo toothbrush before, then where have you been? Everyone seems to be making the conscious effort to make little changes to their day to day lives and I wanted to share some of the simple swaps I have done and the reasoning behind them.
Straws
We’ve all seen the video with the straw stuck up the turtle noes and if that doesn’t stop you using the plastic suckers, I don’t know what will. Anyway switching up a plastic straw for a reusable one can have a greater impact on the enivormment then you think. The UK alone consumes around 8.5 millions a year. So pretty much all the straws you have used in your life time are probably still around (isn’t that a scary thought) and more than likely haven’t been recycled . Even though they are made from polypropylene which is recyclable, a lot are just ending up in the rubbish bins which then ends up in our ecosystem that is harming out wild life and marine environments. So remembering to ask for no straw when ordering a drink, it will have a greater impact then you think.
The obvious coffee cup. Coffee is a staple in day to day life for many people (I can’t function without it). Swapping for a reusable cup will change your coffee experience. Technically coffee cups are recyclable, which the packaging says so but it doesn’t mean it WILL get recycled. Less then 1 per cent of cups get recycled, resulting in all the rest ending up somewhere else. Using a reusable cup reduces the amount of trees cut down, gallons of water wasted and reduces the amount of energy used to create the paper cups. So think every time you take your reusable cup to your coffee shop, remember how much you are saving.
Cutlery
Everyone has cutlery, it’s in your kitchen draws. So don’t feel the need to go out buy a fancy set (this isn’t the point). Plastic Cutlery is a pain, even the little wooden ones are too. They are difficult to recycle because of the shapes and sizes, with a lot of cutlery made from a wide range of plastics like polystyrene which is a type 6 plastic, which can eventually release toxic chemicals when it heats up. So next time when your thinking of eating out or grabbing food on the go, remember to grab a knife and fork, wrap them in a napkin. It’s take up no room in your bag and you will feel smug when using them. (Trust me)
When you go to a super market it can be overwhelming the amount of plastic fruit and vegetables are wrapped in. Buying loose produce not only reduces your waste but also means your food hasn’t traveled as far, meaning less of an environmental impact. Shopping locally isn’t only great for the environment it also helps the local economy, including local farmers and businesses. So head to your local farmers markets or green grocers to support where you can. (Also be amazed at how little plastic there is)
Tote Bag
Plastic bags went out of fashion back in 2015 when the 5p charge came in to play. Making the single-use bag sales drop by 90% meaning on average a person is only buying around 10 bags a year. Even though this wasn’t the originally intention for the plastic bag (save that for another post) replacing it for a tote bag means you aren’t contributing to any more single use plastic. Now tote bags are everywhere and anywhere with pretty much anything printed on it. So you have no excuse to not have one
With wet wipes being notoriously bad for the environment because they’re made up of mostly plastic fibres. Which don’t disintegrate like normal tissue paper, they end up blocking waste waterways, creating mountains of Fatbergs (give it a google). If they do get though the system they then pollute the marine environment. There are a great alternative for cotton pads and even face wipes now to replace your day to day needs, plus who really wants to rub there face with plastic?
Toothbrush
These teeth cleaners are another problem when it comes to plastic pollution. With them being made solely from a combination of different plastics, it can be hard to dispose of them. Meaning they ending up in landfill and taking over 400 years to decompose. A toothbrush might not take up much space but think most people go through on average 6 a years, so times that how many people living on this planet. That’s a hell of a lot of plastic that can’t be recycled. Switching to bamboo brush is a great alternative with it being a sustainable resource and fast growing planet, It also means it’s 100% biodegradable.
Glass Jars
Don’t feel the need to go out and buy fancy mason jars for your cupboards. But using jars to refill/buy your produce is a great way to be sustainable as it lowers your consumption of plastic. It’s among the most recyclable material on the planet, meaning there is no loss of quality once it’s recycled. With refill stores popping up everywhere it’s a great opportunity to buy products package free and I bet you have plenty of glass jars that are already in your cupboards you can reuse over and over again. (We don’t need Pinterest cupboards.)
Reusable Bottle
If you don’t know by now plastic is one of the leading threats to our ecosystem. We as consumers buy into the advertisement that bottle water is the purist of the pure and yet there is evidence to show that the same stuff comes out your tap and it’s free! Using a reusable bottle isn’t only better for the environment, it’s better to your wallet too. Many refills stations are popping up everywhere. Check out refill.co.uk for local taps, as well as coffee shops like costa will now fill your bottle and guess what, for free! There is no reason to buy water in plastic bottles anymore. So stop doing it. (Please)
Produce bags
I know trying to avoid plastic can be hard, especially when pretty much all fruit and vegetables come wrapped in plastic. With most plastic wrap being made out of 3 types of plastic, it becomes difficult to recycle and just ends up being sent to landfill which eventually gives off harmful chemicals into atmosphere when trying to decompose, but supermarkets believe this is best way to keep fruit and veg fresher for longer. Using a produce bag to buy your fruit and veg, you are only getting what you need
I hope you like these easy swaps and how simple they can be. It’s just creating new habits and to remember to have these items with you for when you’re on the go to the shops or out for the day. It down to us as consumers to invest in items that will last and to not invest in this throw away culture we now live in.
Have you done any sustainable swaps that have reduce your waste? Would you be interested in more sustainable swaps you wouldn’t normally think of?
Leave me a message with any suggestion
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