Alternatives to Plastic
Plastic is so ubiquitous in our lives that we have to tackle it in all areas. Below are some tips to consider.
Don’t feel like you have to remove all plastic all at once, and feel free to come up with your own ways.
Please note that brands mentioned on this page do not constitute an endorsement.
BAGS
SHOPPING BAGS
Bring 100% cotton bags when you shop. Avoid bags with plastic sprayed on to make them waterproof or shiny. Organic cotton grown without pesticides is best.
Replace Plastic provides 100% organic cotton bags with water-based ink that retail stores sell for $1. Mesh produce bags are 50 cents.
Leave your bags by the door or in the car so you won’t forget to bring them.
KITCHEN
Keep your food, whether fresh, dried, or leftover, from plastic. Use glass, ceramic, wooden or stainless steel jars, bowls and containers that don’t shed microplastics.
If you are still using plastic sponges to clean your dishes, now is the time to switch to plant-based sponges. The plant-based sponges last longer and don’t turn icky soon after first use.
Use wooden spoons, stainless steel mixing bowls and whisks, ladles. Avoid using plastic utensils for cooking so that microplastics won’t get into your food.
The best choice for a cutting board is still wood. I’ve tried plastic, paper composite, bamboo, glued wood cutting boards. They all involve chemicals.
Your food waste should be collected in a non-plastic bin, so no microplastics will leach into it when a commercial facility turns it into fertilizer. I put mine in stain-less steel mixng bowls in the freezer until I can walk over to the village compost bins.
You really don’t need a ompost bag liner because all compostable bags contain an oil-based polymer in addition to the plant-based PLA and starch. Compostable bags have even more additives, phthalates, and flame retardants than conventional plastic bags. So it’s best not to use ANY bags to line your food waste collection.
When it comes to coffee makers, it’s hard not to get plastic parts with it. The best bet is the French press, or the ceramic, glass or stainless steel pour over coffee drippers.
A stainless steel pour over coffee dripper.
A glass pour over coffee dripper.
A ceramic pour over coffee dripper.
BATH
Use shampoo bars and ditch the plastic bottle. I like the shampoo bars from Seek Bamboo because they are sudsy and have natural ingredients.
Once I switched to a linen shower curtain, I didn’t need the plastic shower liner any more. No more mold and mildew at the bottom of the plastic liner to scrub away. That was so gross!
FABRIC
I just pulled out my sweaters and checked. Half of them are made of polyeter. Yikes! Time to get some cotton or wool ones to replace the synthetics.
Look for 100% organic cotton clothing, or at least 100% cotton. Some manufacturers make both 100% cotton clothes and synthetic clothes under the same brand. Don’t be fooled by recycled plastic blends. We don’t want to wear anything synthetic like polyester, nylon and recycled palstic.
Did you know that raincoats don’t have to be plastic? This raincoat is made of waxed cotton. It keeps the dog dry even in heavy rain.
OTHER
