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Easy Ways to Reduce Plastic Use: Kitchen & Grocery Edition

The amount of plastic that is thrown away each year is astounding. According to National Geographic, 91% of plastic isn’t even recycled. It’s an environmental crisis that is infiltrating our water and food supplies and one that has been weighing heavily on me over the past year.

I was throwing out the kitchen sink brush a few months ago when I paused to think about the plastic I was throwing out. There had to be something else I could use that wasn’t plastic even if I would eventually have to throw it out after a few months. And then I started paying attention to what else I could swap out with more eco-friendly products and more things started to pop into my mind.

I was browsing Instagram or Facebook when an advert for Lilybee Bees Wraps appeared. It’s one of the only ads I’ve ever clicked on and actually followed through with purchasing something. We have one package of plastic wrap that I haven’t opened yet because I’ve been wrapping excess fruits, veggies and other items in the beeswax wrap. Depending on how you treat your beeswax wraps they can last for over a year. They’re made out of a combination of 100% cotton, beeswax, coconut oil and tree resin. Instead of wrapping, say, half a lemon or a sandwich in plastic wrap, I’ve found that the beeswax wraps work much better and again, the fact that they’re reusable just make them a new must have in the kitchen.

Grocery bags are probably the most prominent item people think of when they think of an eco-friendly solution. I was absolutely terrible about remembering my bags and I will admit it’s only been in the past few months, despite owning reusable grocery bags for years, that I’ve been consistent with taking them to the store.

The grocery store closest to us predominately uses plastic bags and the accumulation of plastic bags was starting to weigh on my mind heavily enough that I gathered my reusable grocery and produce bags and moved them where I can see them so when I’m getting ready to make that grocery store run, I can see them and grab them on my way out.

All it takes is a small shift in how you think about something to turn something into a habit and so far, considering my environmental impact helps influence decisions I make.

Reusable Grocery Bags

Reusable Produce bags

Beeswax Foodwrap

Visit the Lilybee Wrap or the Bee’s Wrap website for a wider selection of designs. Personally I love Lilybee Wrap because of the different patterns but I haven’t tried Bee’s Wrap to see how it holds up compared to Lilybee.

Kitchen Cleaning Tools

Food Storage

We’ve even switched our food storage to glass containers as opposed to the cheap plastic ones that go bad somewhat quickly…whose lids disappear just as frequently as socks.

Water Bottles & Straws

I have a few water bottles I keep in my car and at work so that I ensure I have something to fill up so when I’m out and about I’m not tempted to buy a single use plastic bottle of water.

Party Supplies

Yes, I even have party supplies on my list above. As someone who attends large gatherings of friends who are fairly conscious, I picked up on the compostable and/or bamboo plates and cutlery.

I’m still finding ways to shop more sustainably and make better decisions that have less effect on the environment but for reducing plastic use and waste these are a few of the easiest ways I’ve found to make an impact.

Most of the items I’ve linked to above can be bought on Amazon. One more tip I have if you’re an Amazon shopper is to place fewer larger orders as opposed to ordering on the fly. I know that’s why we shop on Amazon, the convenience of fast shipping. But if you don’t need an item right away, wait to order until you have a few more items to purchase. This had reduced the amount of shipping bubble wrap and cardboard we recycle. Less waste is impactful no mater what it is.

xx

Stephanie

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