Smart Ways To Reduce Your Plastic Waste

This Plastic Free July learn more ways to do your bit and reduce the scourge of single-use plastic. From your weekly shop to what to pack in a picnic, we’ve rounded up quick and clever ideas to help you reduce plastic waste.

As well as a collection of reusable bags to lug your shopping home in, take smaller bags for loose produce and tubs for the butcher and fishmonger. Whenever possible, buy bigger to reduce plastic waste overall or check if there are any zero waste shops near you.

Get geeky about cutting out plastic purchases by downloading a sustainability app such as Giki that lets you scan a product’s barcode to find out its packaging credentials as well as other eco info.

Scrub up on plastic-free kitchen alternatives by finding suitable swaps. Choose wooden brushes and compostable sponges – or go next level and grow your own loofah! Don’t be tempted to throw out all your plastic items though, only replace things with non-plastic alternatives as needed.

Switch out cling film in favour of beeswax wrap and store leftovers in reusable containers. Think about how to line your bin without bad plastic. And before you make yourself that well-deserved cuppa, check if your teabags are made with plastic.

Step into the bathroom and you’re likely to find a fair amount of plastic. Fortunately, plastic-free alternatives are becoming more affordable and easy to find. First up, try a bamboo toothbrush and look for toothpastes with minimal plastic packaging.

It also helps to be a bit old school about bathroom habits. Switch shower gels for soap bars, use a flannel instead of face wipes and try an old fashion safety razor instead of the plastic disposable kind.

Want to reduce the amount of plastic packaging and save money in the long run? Buy pet food in bulk. Also, look out for food in paper packaging and choose tinned food over pouches if possible.

Other fantastic plastic-free pet ideas include making your own pet treats – try these scrummy dog biscuits, cat treats and bunny granola – and opting for biodegradable poo bags.

Making a party plastic-free is even more reason to celebrate! So ditch plastic straws in favour of paper, hang bunting and paper pompoms instead of balloons and wrap gifts in fabric scraps or newspaper.

Impress your guests by serving up a plastic-free feast of simple and scrumptious party foods and have a go at your own show-stopping gravity-defying cake.

There’s plenty of convenience food and accessories for a fuss-free picnic, sadly most of them are wrapped in single-use plastic. So be sure to take plates, cutlery and cups from home instead of disposable options.

Pass up the pre-packed picnic food in favour of homemade treats. Whip up sausage rolls, sarnies, salads and sweets to avoid plastic-wrapped food and pop them in food storage containers to keep them fresh and leak-free.

Feeling inspired? Plastic-free possibilities are endless so check out how else you can say no to single-use plastic everyday.