Are you skeptical of earth friendly alternatives to plastic? Maybe you aren’t sure what is actually helpful or worth your time/money? I get you! I totally get you. This is a big topic to cover which is why I am directing it for you today. By the end of this post you’ll know the WHY, WHERE and HOW to get these earth friendly alternatives to plastic in your home.
Before we start, don’t be yourself up. You’re here.. and you’re about to learn some amazing information. So, take off your judgy pants and give yourself a break!
Why we need to cut down on waste
Trash is everywhere, e v e r y w h e r e. If you don’t believe me, go find a body of water, lake or river and look at the bank.. Head to a marina or dock. Visit a third-world country. Look out your window while you’re driving dow the road. We have to stop this terrible habit and get our waste problem under control.
If you haven’t heard (or noticed) the population is rapidly growing. I mean, people are having like 10 kids?! No judgement but it drives my point further when I say that more people = more waste. It’s unfortunately the track we are one right now. In addition to that, if you have 10 kids (or even 1), they are watching your every move. Learning, absorbing and soaking up every habit, word and routine you act out every day.
Imagine if you started using earth friendly alternatives to plastic at home. Your little ones, siblings, husband, parents, WHOEVER would catch on. They would become curious. Even if they are skeptical “there’s no global warming or waste issue” kind of people, it will spark something in their minds!
Where this waste ends up
As I mentioned above, the product of our bad habit can be seen at lakes, rivers, oceans, marinas, ditches and just about anywhere your cute eyes can see. This plastic waste isn’t just in the landfills.. oh no honey, it’s much worse than that.
This plastic waste is in our oceans, drinking water, soil and animal products. “Ashlee, how in the world is our waste in our water?”. I had a client ask me that recently and she was shocked when I explained to her the issue of microplastics. Microplastics are small pieces of plastic debris from waste that get into the waterways and eventually into our oceans.
Since oceans are the home to fish and algae and other ocean-derived foods we consume, we are now eating microplastics. YAY! These microplastics are made up of estrogenic plastic that is linked to endocrine dysfunction, weight gain and even estrogenic cancers. Worst of all, they bioaccumulate in fish. This means the small fish eats the plastic, the bigger fish eats the little fish and the biggest fish eats that bigger fish. Now, the plastic is in a high concentration than ever. Bon appetite!
Common waste items
Plastic bags
Plastic Straws
Styrofoam
Other to-go containers
Ziplock / seal bags
Paper
Receipts
Plastic water bottles
Beauty product containers
Plastic egg cartons
Earth friendly alternatives to plastic
Bags – Chico bags (produce bags, backpacks, sandwich bags, travel bags)
Straws – glass or stainless steel (unless you have a disability where hard is not an option)
Styrofoam/to-go containers – glassware, recycled jars from, yogurt, mayonnaise, etc.
Ziplock/seal bags – Chico bags sandwich bags, beeswax wrap, Stasher (spendy)
Paper/receipts – opt for email delivery instead of printed receipts, bank statements, etc.
Plastic water bottles – my favorite (code SIMPLHOLISTIC) glass and stainless steel water bottles
Beauty products – these brands have glass storage options
- Primally Pure – Everything Spray
- Ann Marie Skincare
- By Achilles Botanicals
Plastic egg cartons – recycled cardboard or baskets from a local farmer
Where to find these natural alternatives
For you to do within the next 72 hours
You might be like.. um why 72 hours? Well, it’s proven (by someone) that if you don’t do things you want/say you will do within 72 hours, you won’t do them at all!
So, within 72 hours (3 days) ** set a timer ** I want you to choose one item in your home you are going to swap. Whether it’s beauty, kitchen, bathroom, straws or bags. Just do it! Comment below what you’re going swap out so we can have some accountability!
This is a great post on how to recycle plastic (that you currently have) properly.
As a single mom with a tight budget, I have found a lot of success with making a small change in my daily routine when I run out of something instead of switching out everything in the house all at once. For example, switching from ziploc bags to glassware. I used up all the bags and bought a few glassware containers to get started. Instead of buying ziploc bags every other week, I bought another container to add to my starter set and made a conscious decision to never buy plastic again. You can apply this method to anything you decide to switch out in your home without breaking the bank! 💕
Yes, absolutely! That’s exactly what I am talking about at the bottom of the post when I say pick one! We can get in over our heads and then stop doing it all together! Great job with what you’re doing & thanks for sharing!