50 Ways to Reduce Plastic!

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From our Stewardship of the Earth Team

What you’ve been waiting for, a long, long list of ways you can reduce your plastic use. You probably
know some already, but I hope that many of these ideas are new and do-able. Just think of the pacific
garbage patch whenever you feel tempted to buy water, get a to-go cup or buy liquid laundry detergent.
This is a slightly edited version of the 50 Ways to Reduce Plastic found at:
https://www.reefrelief.org/2013/01/51-ways-to-reduce-plastic-use-or-completely-eliminate-it/

  1. Bring your own cloth bags to the grocery store (or any store!).
  2. Don’t buy beverages bottled in plastic. Glass is great. You can now get water in paper cartons!
  3. Carry your own reusable steel or ceramic beverage container. (If they’re too pricey, use a glass mason jar! Heavy, but cheap.)
  4. Don’t get to-go coffee or hot drinks. Your drink lid and cup will live on for over 100 years! The lids and lining are plastic. Bring your own or ask for a ceramic, reusable cup.
  5. Go to the farmer’s market and purchase fresh fruits and veggies (not packaged in plastic). Bring your
    own mesh bags for vegetables.
  6. Don’t buy convenience foods packages in plastic and cut down on frozen foods, too!
  7. Make your own bread or
  8. Buy bread from bakeries that package in paper.
  9. Clean with baking soda and vinegar instead of cleaners packaged in plastic.
  10. Buy laundry detergent in boxes, not liquid in plastic containers.
  11. Buy farm fresh eggs in reusable paper containers, not plastic.
  12. Get your cheese from the deli and place it in your own container (glass or a plastic one that you
    already have, don’t waste what you already have!) or get it wrapped in paper.
  13. Buy your meat from the deli and have it wrapped in paper.
  14. Package your leftovers in Corningware or glass container. Plastics leech into hot food – and do NOT
    microwave in plastic containers!
  15. Bring your own containers to restaurants to package leftovers. (Keep a set in a reusable bag in the
    car!)
  16. Use bar soap to wash your dishes. Dr. Bronner’s is perfect.
  17. Use bar shampoo rather than plastic containers (although some are refillable through salons!)
  18. Store all your food in glass containers. If you purchase something bottled in glass, clean it and reuse
    it!
  19. Buy bulk cereal.
  20. Buy tortilla chips packaged in paper bags.
  21. Buy bulk coffee packaged in paper or in cans, or bring your own bags.
  22. Buy milk in paper cartons.
  23. Buy peanut butter that is packaged in glass containers.
  24. Buy bar soap, not liquid body wash.
  25. Compost your trash, reduce your use of plastic trash bags.
  26. Line small trash bins in your house with paper bags.
  27. When ordering drinks, say “no straw please!”
  28. Buy real maple syrup (comes in glass bottles) which you can get at Trader Joes.
  29. Buy toilet paper that is wrapped in paper, not plastic. (We order from www.WhoGivesACrap.com)
  30. Don’t use ziploc. If you need to keep things like half an onion (happens to us all the time!) use
    aluminum or waxy paper. You can also buy reusable silicon bags.
  31. Use cloth rags for clean up around the house, not paper towels.
  32. Use matches instead of plastic encased lighters. They usually give them to you for free at the liquor
    store.
  33. Use cloth napkins. They feel nice and reduce your waste and use of plastic trash bags.
  34. If you want a fun drink, buy chocolate milk in a carton or apple juice in glass bottle. You can also
    ferment your own drinks in glass mason jars.
  35. Bring your own bag to all stores you shop in and say “no bag needed, thanks!”
  36. Put empty cardboard boxes in your car to transport heavy items to and from your car without a bag.
  37. Say “paper not plastic” at the grocery store.
  38. Don’t use plastic cutting boards. Use wood or glass.
  39. Use baby bottles made of glass.
  40. Use stainless steel sippy cups for kids.
  41. Use cloth based toys for your pets, like catnip mice and soft squishy balls.
  42. Buy cloth diapers. Many great varieties available and better for your baby. We fill a super bowl size
    hole every day with disposal diapers that will leach toxins into the environment for centuries to come.
  43. Buy CDs packaged in cardboard sleeves or buy your music online.
  44. Use junk mail and other paper to stuff into big packages to ship instead of bubble wrap or air filled
    plastic.
  45. Use real silverware for parties instead of plastic.
  46. Use rechargeable batteries to reduce buying batteries packaged in plastic. (Or you can recycle your
    batteries in our E-Waste Bin!)
  47. Make a compost heap to reduce your food waste and put it back into the earth ( – or bring to the
    UUCA’s compost bin behind the paper recycling!).
  48. Use a reusable cloth bag or old fashioned steel lunch box to carry your lunch to work or school.
  49. Make your own yogurt in glass mason jars. It’s easy!