As many of you might be aware, we have now come to the end of Plastic Free July. While I’m not awarding myself any plastic free sainthood just yet, I have had a rejiggle over the past few weeks with our plastic use. Top 4 single use plastics? No problem. I’ve got that one in the (reusable) bag. (The Top 4 is not using plastic straws, coffee cups, shopping bags and water bottles.)

Keep Cups we’ve been using for years, we make our own yogurt which would otherwise use a substantial amount of plastic tubs, bread is made at home; stopping approximately 208 supermarket plastic bags from being used in a year. Carry our own shopping bags, use waxed wraps where ever possible, buy larger amounts of things, bamboo toothbrushes for teeth cleaning and love stainless steel containers etc. There’s nothing new there, so how could I step it up a bit for Plastic Free July?

Buying in bulk certainly knocks a lot of plastic off, but you have to have somewhere to store it, our small kitchen says err, no to that one. (You see my bags of flour lining the kitchen floor take regal precedence.)

Now, Ecolosophy did a post back in June about reducing your plastic. Not ruling it out completely, but decreasing the amount that you use, and keeping it still practical for a young family. I liked this idea but again, what could I change?

I thought I’d start with a visit to the local butcher. While I always declined the extra bag they offered for carrying their meaty treats. The hunks of chunks in question were still encased in plastic for them to weigh the meat, price it and then give it to me to take home. But what if I brought my own container, would that cut down on some plastic?

Verdict?

Well yes, yes it did. Not a piece of plastic crossed our path. The butcher didn’t even raise his eyebrows when I said… can you put the snags in here thanks mate. He plopped them in, I sealed them up, paid and back on my bike I peddled home.

A ridiculously easy plastic decrease, that really, I should have rejigged long ago.

Now, question is, what else can I change?

A few other practical plastic decreases

Buy butter in paper, rather than a plastic tub

Keep Cup for take away coffees

Bake your own bread, (have I hammered this one enough yet?)

Carry your own shopping bags

Avoid using cling wrap by using reusable bees wax wraps. Buy them or make your own

If your kids are keen on straws, use reusable stainless steel ones

Stainless steel snack containers

Bamboo toothbrushes

Glass jars for storage of kitchen goodies

Take your own containers to the butcher

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What are some things that you’ve changed over?