When we heard in the news recently that the average UK household throws away 66 pieces of plastic every single week we were staggered! That’s 66 plastic waste items destined for landfill and that becomes even more heartbreaking when you realise that’s around 100 billion pieces of plastic each year!
Take a look around your home and consider the plastic items you throw away on a daily basis. Bottles, tubs, food cartons, flower pots, toothbrushes, toys… the list is endless and it’s not surprising if we haven’t all gone a little “blind” to the plastic that’s around us and it’s all too easy to simply throw it in the dustbin with the rest of the household waste.
Chris Thorne, a Greenpeace campaigner is quoted as saying:
"This is a jaw-dropping amount of plastic waste. Pretending we can sort this with recycling is just industry green-wash. We're creating a hundred billion bits of waste plastic a year, and recycling is hardly making a dent."
It’s perhaps then timely that this research coincides with Plastic Free July, a campaign we are happy to support. Plastic Free July® is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. If you haven’t yet visited the website, make sure you do - it’s packed full with tips on how you can make better choices that will allow you to reduce your plastic waste.
Here are some of our favourite tips:
Coffee Cups
Love a takeaway coffee? Ditch the single use cup and lid and buy an insulated mug or flask. Did you know, Coffee cups are not recyclable in most locations. Even ‘compostable’ cups are rarely composted as they require very specific facilities and conditions (source: https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/get-involved/what-you-can-do/takeaway-coffee-cups/)
Many of the leading coffee chains charge their customers LESS for their drink if they bring their own cup, so it’s a win for the environment and a win for your pocket!
Food storage & packed lunches
If you’re using cling film and food bags to wrap and transport your food and snacks it’s time to stop. There are plenty of alternatives that are far greener, such as food tight containers, silicone bowl toppers, was wrap paper or reusable cotton cloths. Give it a try! You’ll be hard pressed to notice the difference and you’re reducing your plastic waste straight away.
Personal care items
How many toothbrushes must we all get through in our lifetime? And once they are done with we just toss them into the bin. It causes unnecessary plastic waste and manufacturers are waking up to this! There are plenty of plastic-free toothbrushes appearing on the market nowadays, using natural materials like bamboo handles. Just beware that the bristles may still be plastic so check this before buying.
Sanitary items also traditionally contain lots of single use plastic so research and test products that are designed to be more sustainable. There are some great products entering the market all the time, such as plastic free tampons, moon-cups and washable pants with absorbent bamboo layers.
Household cleaning & laundry products
Open up your kitchen and bathroom cupboards. How many plastic bottles do you see? The chances are there are lots, but could there be an alternative when it comes to your detergent?
Our customers will already know that Simple Living Eco is a plastic-free brand. It’s something we are passionate about and being more eco-aware lies at the heart of what we do as a business.
For those not familiar with us yet, we hope you’ll give us a try! Our laundry sheets are made entirely from detergent and are packed in cardboard. By the end of 2022 we will also be 100% UK made so we’re reducing our shipping miles and carbon footprint.
Switching to a plastic free laundry brand will reduce your household plastic waste significantly. Just think...
- No more plastic bottles and lids of detergent
- No more plastic tubs for tabs and tablets
- No more individually wrapped stain remover tables
- No more plastic bottles and lids of softener or scent boosters
If you’re interested in learning more about Plastic Free July visit the website, where you’ll be able to Take the Challenge and pledge to play your part in refusing single use plastics.