I started living an eco-friendly life around 10 years ago and every single day I am learning new things and trying my best to reduce plastic waste at home.
This blog post is 2nd post in the ongoing series on how to reduce plastic waste. This post focuses on actionable steps you can take to reduce plastic waste at home. With the increasing awareness of plastic pollution, many are looking for effective strategies to minimize their environmental impact. I am trying my best to reduce plastic waste at home, workplace, during shopping, and traveling and in almost all places of my life.
There are still several places other than our daily life like hospitals and restaurants but other than what I can contribute there I have yet to find a sustainable solution for these places but I am open to learning. So if you have any idea that can be implemented in these or other places, pls feel free to reach out to me via email or in the comments section.
Why Reduce Plastic Waste At Home?
About ten years ago, I didn’t give much thought to how my actions affected our planet or our lives. I lived a carefree lifestyle, using single-use plastics almost daily.
However, while browsing the internet, I came across an image of a massive island of plastic waste floating in the ocean, its known as “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch“. I was so shocked to see that picture that I did some more google searches and found that this patch is lying between California and Hawaii, It is three times the size of France and is the world’s biggest ocean waste repository, with 1.8 billion pieces of floating plastic which kill thousands of marine animals each year.
This is a ever growing patch with time. That single image changed my perspective on single-use plastic.
My home was the first place that I could change and impact so that’s the place I focused on first. I found several easy steps to cut down on plastic waste. It has been nearly a decade since I began reducing my plastic waste, and I’m proud to say that I’ve reduced the plastic waste at home by at least 60-70%.
Practical Tips to Reduce Plastic Waste at Home
Anything I suggest in my posts is always tried and tested by me, so you can be sure that it’s doable and not very difficult to do. You might find it difficult to do it in the beginning but with just a bit of consistency, you can make a big difference not only in your life, and health but also in the environment.
”Children Learn What They See Not What They Are Told.” This is one of my favorite sayings and I am trying to set a good example for my kids. I have also noticed that my kids have developed some good habits which also help to reduce plastic waste at home.
| Series 1 – Simple Steps to Reduce Plastic Waste in Everyday Life. | Series 3 – How to Reduce Plastic Waste in Your Kitchen: Eco-Friendly Ideas |
Reduce Plastic Waste at Home- Embrace Reusable Products
This was the first step I took when I first started my efforts to lead a relatively plastic-free life. I understood the impact of single-use plastic on our environment. I started avoiding any single-use plastic. I made a conscious switch to reusable bags, bottles, Lunch boxes and containers. This simple change can drastically reduce single-use plastics. There are sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic for almost every thing, we just need to look little hard.
Reduce Plastic Waste at Home- Opt for Bulk Purchases
Buying in bulk reduces packaging waste. Choose items with minimal or no plastic packaging when possible. Also, remember to read the material used in making the product, and try using more eco-friendly products. A Simple example of buying with little impact is moving from normal toilet paper to Bamboo Toilet Paper.
This Bamboo Toilet Paper comes without any plastic packaging and we all know that Paper made from Bamboo has less impact on the environment than other papers.
Also, I buy dishwashing liquid, clothes-washing liquid, or powder in bulk from Amazon as I get good deals, and buying large quantities reduces plastic waste by a huge amount. I always add special delivery instruction in Amazon not to pack these items again in plastic wrap to reduce the plastic waste.
Another useful tip is that big containers of dishwashing liquid can be reused for gardening or several other craft purposes while small ones generally are tossed in the bin.
Essential Key Green Habits for a Powerful Eco-Friendly Lifestyle – A Dynamic Recap of Series 1-10
Reduce Plastic Waste at Home- DIY Cleaning Products
I used to find myself buying a lot of cleaning solutions ranging from floor cleaning to glass cleaning and all the products in between. Once I started paying little attention to the ingredients used in almost all the cleaning products, I found that most of them use a lot of chemicals which is again a serious cause of allergies, and environmental pollution.
I just did a little search on Google and spoke to my mother and grandmother and based on their experience, I started making my natural cleaning solutions at home. It has been quite some time since I bought a single cleaning product for my home.
Mostly you only need 3 key ingredients baking soda, Vinegar, and citric acid and you are all set to make almost all of your house cleaning solutions at home.
You can refer to the “5 Incredible Benefits I Discovered Using Natural Cleaning Supplies for a
Healthier Home and Environment“.
Reduce Plastic Waste at Home- Mindful Food Storage
Once I decided that I wanted to move to glass or stainless-steel containers instead of plastic ones, instead of outright throwing all my existing plastic containers, I used them as far as they could last, and slowly while buying the new containers I ensured that I bought only stainless steel or glass ones. They are durable, reusable, and often healthier for food storage.
You can buy these in any supermarket as I found them cheaper over there instead of any deal online. Just ensure that you buy food-grade quality glass or stainless-steel containers, there are several cheap quality ones are available which will cost you much lesser but might be harmful to your health.
Reduce Plastic Waste at Home- Choose Natural Fibers
When shopping for clothing, opt for natural fibers like cotton, wool, or linen to avoid synthetic materials that contribute to microplastic pollution. I followed the same process that I used with my plastic containers. Avoid generating waste to become sustainable, use what you have to its life and discard it when it becomes unusable.
My trick to do this was to uninstall the cheap shopping apps which mostly have clothes made from cheap synthetic materials. These apps are so addictive and until I uninstalled them from my phone, I found it very difficult to stop shopping. It took me several attempts to get rid of these apps but it has been 2+ years since I have bought any piece of clothing made of synthetic material. I have reduced my clothes shopping by 60-70% and whatever I buy I ensure that’s made of sustainable material and good quality.
Just one more thought which I might be repeating in almost all my posts, be consistence even if you feel its a very small change. You don’t have to start all the changes on day 1. Pick anyone change that resonates most with you and keep doing that until that becomes a habit. I have seen several of my friends who started with great intensity but were not consistent and in the end, they gave up. So please remember any change needs consistency to succeed.
The only reason I am sharing my journey with all of you is so that I can inspire more people to join this effort and make the earth a better place.
Stay tuned for the next posts in my series, where we’ll explore more ways to live sustainably and reduce our environmental footprint!
You can read our other posts here.
FAQ
I always feel more comfortable reading any post if I get answers to the most frequently asked questions also on the same page. That’s the reason I try my best to answer as many questions as possible in my posts. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions I found on Google, pls read on.
- How to minimize your plastic waste at home?
- Avoid single-use plastics such as drinking straws. …
- If you go shopping, remember to take a cloth bag. …
- Recycle chewing gum… it’s also make of plastic! …
- Buy more bulk food and fewer packaged products. …
- Replace plastic Tupperware for glass or steel containers.
- How to dispose of plastic at home?
- Don’t litter or throw plastic waste in the trash. Instead, place it in designated trash bins or take it to a recycling center. Many times, the plastics that are intended for recycling end up being carelessly disposed of and end up in the water bodies polluting the environment.
- How to use less plastic in daily life?
- Purchase food, like cereal, pasta, and rice from bulk bins and fill a reusable bag or container. You save money and unnecessary packaging. Reuse containers for storing leftovers or shopping in bulk. Use a reusable bottle or mug for your beverages, even when ordering from a to-go shop.
- How can we get rid of plastic without harming the environment?
- Increased recycling, decreased use of single-use plastics, encouragement of the creation of plastic substitutes, and public education are all necessary steps toward the goal of reducing or eliminating plastic usage.
- How to remove plastic from home?
- By using glass and stainless steel containers, avoiding plastic wrap, using cloth dish towels, buying in bulk, using reusable shopping bags, choosing stainless steel or glass water bottles, and using natural cleaning products, you can create a more non-toxic kitchen and reduce your impact on the environment.
- How can we reduce and recycle plastic waste?
- Reduce your use of disposable shopping bags by using a reusable bag or container when shopping.
- Reuse old plastic bags for multiple shopping trips.
- Re-purpose plastic bags as trash liners or pet waste bags.
- Refuse a bag for easy-to-carry purchases.
- Buy products in bulk.
- How can we manage plastic waste in our home?
- Recycle plastic containers whenever possible. Avoid using disposable plastics like straws and water bottles. Invest in reusable shopping bags and containers. Compost food scraps instead of throwing them out.
- What is the most effective way to reduce plastic?
- The simplest way to reduce plastic waste is to avoid unnecessary and single-use plastics, support businesses who are reducing plastic waste and re-use existing plastic. Say no to disposable plastic cutlery, plastic straws and other single-use plastics. Avoid plastics that cannot be recycled if other alternatives exist.
- How to reuse plastic at home?
- Turn plastic bottles into planters: Cut off the top of a plastic bottle, add soil and seeds, and watch your plants grow. Use plastic bags as trash liners: Instead of buying new plastic bags, reuse the ones you already have as liners for your trash cans.
- What are 10 ways to reduce pollution?
- Drive your car less. …
- Keep your car in good repair. …
- Turn off your engine. …
- Don’t burn your garbage. …
- Limit backyard fires in the city. …
- Plant and care for trees. …
- Switch to electric or hand-powered lawn equipment. …
- Use less energy.
- How can we solve plastic waste problem?
- Reduce Your Use of Single-Use Plastics. …
- Support Legislation to Curb Plastic Production and Waste. …
- Recycle Properly. …
- Participate In (or Organize) a Beach or River Cleanup. …
- Avoid Products Containing Microbeads. …
- Spread the Word.
- How can I reduce plastic bags at home?
- Get In The Habit Of Carrying Reusable Bags For Shopping
- Limit the Use Of Plastic Bags With Food At The Grocery Store
- Dine-in Instead of Ordering Take-out
- Keep Food in Reusable Containers Instead of Plastic Bags or Wraps.
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