More Plastic Alternatives For the Eco-Conscious Individual

As we’re all aware, plastic is everywhere. It’s in our computers and phones, in appliances, in furniture, in our clothing, and can even be found in building materials for our homes. Most of our plastic is made from crude oil and thus releases a lot of planet-warming emissions as it’s produced, but there are a growing group of plastics that are being made from plants called bioplastics which are biodegradable and compostable. Unfortunately, these types of plastics are usually only compostable in commercial composting facilities which most of us don’t have access to. This means that these plastics can still take years to break down, and if they are single-use, they can still end up littering our landscapes. 

Plastic that’s been littered breaks down into tiny particles called microplastics. As we learn more about microplastics, scientists have discovered that they can be found in our food and water supply, throughout our waterways, and in our urban and natural landscapes. They have even been found in the air. So it’s important that we, as individuals and communities, try to reduce our plastic use as much as possible. With that being said, here is part two of our plastic reduction series

Grocery Shopping

Image from Delia Creates

Personally, grocery shopping has been one of the hardest areas for me to reduce my plastic use. When you really start paying attention, you’ll notice just how much of our food comes wrapped in plastic. 

Something that might be a little easier to take on is trying not to buy produce wrapped in plastic and to ditch those plastic produce bags. I usually just put my produce loose into my shopping cart, but there are excellent reusable alternatives if you don’t like the thought of that. You can use these cloth, mesh produce bags, for example. There are also plenty of DIY options for making your own produce bags and even upcycling options, like this t-shirt produce bag, which means you won’t have to buy anything.

You can also start utilizing your grocery store’s bulk section for items like nuts, grains, oats, seeds, coffee, spices, and tea, and they even sometimes have great snack and candy options. Of course, make sure you’re not using plastic bags to hold these bulk items you’re purchasing. Instead, bring in tupperware or another kind of sealed container and have the cashier weigh it while it’s empty so it doesn’t contribute to your cost, then fill it with the items you’re interested in. Three Rivers Market, Fresh Market, and Whole Foods here in Knoxville have great bulk sections, but I’m sure there are even more options throughout our wonderful county. 

Party Plastic 

It is extremely tempting to opt for disposable utensils, plates, bowls, and cups when hosting a party, going on a picnic, or even sometimes just having a family meal on a weeknight. This is unfortunately an incredibly resource-intensive habit, even if you opt for compostable options, like paper. Luckily, aside from having to actually do dishes, this is an area that’s pretty easy to reduce your single-use waste. 

You can either use the dishes and utensils you already have or consider investing in a party set of second-hand glasses, ceramic plates, and silverware that you can keep in a milk crate in a closet and bring out when entertaining.

Sponges and Other Cleaning Aids

Image from Paper & Stitch

Most sponges we find in the store are made from plastic. Luckily, there are now many alternative options to the standard plastic dish sponge - they range from plant-based and biodegradable to eco-friendly sponges made from recycled material to reusable and washable. You can even make your own sustainable, compostable sponge from natural fibers. 

We all often use paper towels to clean up around the house, and while these aren’t plastic, they can still be resource-intensive and wasteful. Consider using cleaning rags in place of paper towels to clean, buy cloth napkins for mealtime, and you can even opt for reusable paper towels if you are keen on the feel and ease of using paper towels in your home. Check out some other alternatives, here. 

Trash bags

Trash bags are one area of our single-use life that’s hard to cut back on. Municipalities can require us to bag our trash, and reusable bags aren’t really an option considering what goes into our main trash bins. One way to cut back on how much plastic you use in your garbage is by recycling properly (i.e. never placing your recycling into a plastic bag) and composting. These two measures will hopefully divert a lot of your household waste from the landfill cutting back on the number of trash bags you use. Also consider not lining those smaller bins you have at home, like in your bedrooms or in the bathroom, to cut down on plastic waste. Finally, this is probably the only area where I would recommend using trash bags made from recycled plastic. At least the plastic is getting a second life in an area that’s hard to find alternatives to. 

Pet care

And finally, we’ll take a look at how plastic comes into play with our furry friends. Most plastic, particularly single-use plastic, occurs with our pet food and when dealing with our pet’s waste. When shopping for pet food buy in bulk, try to buy food that’s not packaged in plastic, or see if t any places offer refillable pet food and just bring in your pet food bin. If you’re feeling really motivated, you can try making your own pet food! Also, opt for metal or ceramic pet food bowls instead of plastic ones, and preferably buy something second-hand to reduce the overall waste and emissions from producing any new products. 

When it comes to pet waste, we most often think of dog poop bags and kitty litter. There are actually many paper alternatives to plastic poop bags available now - these two brands are even made from recycled paper, Eco Poop Scoop Bags and Pooch Paper. When it comes to kitty litter don’t line your litter box with plastic and when it’s time to dispose of kitty litter waste, use plastic bags you have on hand, like old grocery store bags, or use paper bags, preferably post-consumer recycled bags. Also, consider buying a litter box that is second-hand instead of a new plastic one and try to buy your litter in bulk to reduce your plastic waste. 

Furthermore, you can reduce your reliance on plastic when it comes to your pets by opting for plastic-free toys, leashes, and collars. You can check out Purrfect Play to see examples of toys and other products that are made without plastic. 

That about wraps up our guide to reducing your plastic use. Of course, there are many other ways to remove plastic from our lives. Send us your innovative solutions to reducing your plastic! We’d love to hear your thoughts.