Hey earth muffins, I hope everyone has been enjoying the first half of Plastic Free July! It is crazy to think that the challenge is almost 50% over; but don’t worry, that is plenty of time to continue your sustainable journey! π When I became passionate about reducing my impact on the planet, I often got asked what sustainable swaps are “easiest” to make first. As many of you may be starting your own adventure towards living low-waste, I thought I would share the best (and budget-friendly) switches you can make today!
3 Sustainable Swaps Everyone Should Make!
~Buy yourself a safety razor! I cannot recommend one enough. You will save money in the long term by avoiding the need to purchase another razor; plus, you will prevent a ton of disposables from ending up in the landfill. They are easy to use and give such a nice shave! The razor blades can last for quite some time, and you can buy a pack of 100 for only $7.
~Invest in some reusable produce bags. I feel like most people come across reusable bags from college events, conferences, etc. but it is nifty to have some for produce or bulk bin shopping. They are cheap, can be thrown in the washing machine, and save you from using those single use plastic bags at the grocery store. π Click on the images below to check out my favorites!
~Switch to bar bathroom products! I’ve raved about why I use bars over bottles in the past, and I will continue to do so to avoid the plastic that comes with many bath products. It is easy to find bar products now: homemade soaps at the farmer’s market, shampoo bars from Lush or on Amazon, even specialty websites like Ethique! Make sure you use up your plastic bottles before switching.
2 Easy Swaps You Can Make!
~Buy reusable cotton swabs. I don’t use Q-tips to clean my ears (I prefer either using water or a metal ear pick). But, I have an acne cream that has to be applied with a cotton swab. I decided to purchase a set of reusable cotton swabs to ensure I wasn’t creating any excess waste! My skin is quite prone to break outs if I’m not careful; I definitely wasn’t about to give up the cream that works! Check out companies like Last Swab or knock off Amazon versions (which do tend to be cheaper!).
~Find an alternative to saran wrap! I got a comment regarding replacement options for plastic wrap on my post about what to do with old plastics in your home. There are quite a few easy sustainable swaps you can make. My faves are beeswax wrap, silicone covers, reusable Ziploc bags, and reusing containers you already have! If you are interested in any of these, click on the picture below to learn more π
All in all, there are SO many easy sustainable swaps you can make during Plastic Free July! π These were some of the first ones I made, so I highly recommend. I also featured some other swaps on my Instagram account; make sure to check that out as well! What are you doing to stay sustainable this Plastic Free July?
Love,
Jenna β₯
So many wonderful suggestions here. Thank you!
Thanks for the ideas! I started using a shampoo bar as well. Other ideas I have done are: kool-aid instead of drinks in plastic containers, using frozen juice concentrate, reusable tape dispensers, and using pencils instead of pens sometimes.