5 ways to reduce YOUR plastic consumption This July.
Plastic once was a phenomenon for being the first affordable, non biodegradable material – has now become a stubborn menace plaguing our environment. Each year, 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced around the world and 40% of that is single use (UNEP, 2023).
But what about the trustworthy recycling system?! Perhapsss not as reliable as we think… Greenpeace made the staggering revelation the government was found to be exporting plastic litter to be recycled by OTHER countries with low recycling rates; the plastic is then either dumped or burned illegally.* The government’s claim 50% of all plastic is recycled, is therefore, not true (2021). Dear Parliament, kindly please stop trying to hustle the environment, you’re not bigger than Mother Nature.
If the government aren’t going to mobilise sufficient change, then it is up to us to change and lead by example. Here are a few ways to reduce YOUR plastic consumption and demonstrate how living a zero-waste lifestyle can be easy peasy! *chef’s kiss. *
1. Clean the eco way with ecoegg’s POP Stain Remover
This year, ecoegg have partnered with Prevented Ocean Plastic (POP) to rescue plastic before it has a chance to enter our oceans. Plastic is the predominant killer of marine life – the slow degradation of the material breaks the plastic into `microplastics` – the chemicals in these microplastics is dangerous for all marine life and disrupts their ecosystems. Therefore, not only is there the physical threat of plastics to marine life, but there is also the chemical threat – plastic is baaad bad news people.
This stain remover is bottled in 100% rescued ocean-bound plastic, which can be traced all the way back to its source in Indonesia, which has a generation of 31 million tons of plastic waste annually (Julius and Trajano, 2022). The stain remover has a planet – saving story to tell, tough on stains but easy on the planet. By buying this stain remover, you are actively supporting the POP Programme, which is the perfect example of how every little helps. Buy Here!
2. A Reusable Bag a Day, Keeps the Plastic Bags Away
Let’s face it – we are all guilty of turning up to a supermarket having forgotten a bag and at checkout asking the customer assistance to ration out plastic bags to ensure you bring your food shop home in one piece.
All official sources state the introduction of the 10p charge for plastic bags in 2015 has significantly reduced customer usage by 97% and a single person uses 3 plastic bags per year (gov.uk, 2022). That’s great – we love initiative, but you can’t help but question the accuracy of the statistic. Even better, why are they STILL selling plastic bags if people no longer use them, like they say? Suspicious.
Anyway, here’s some more solutions. Get around the plastic problem by buying yourself a reusable cotton bag! Store it in the boot of your car because the odds are you might forget it.
3. Bamboo Alternatives to Replace the Plastic Norm
Bamboo is a natural material, derived from bamboo trees (just in case it wasn’t obvious) and is 100% biodegradable. Hip hip hurray – there’s eco alternatives!! *Queues the chorus clapping *.
Bamboo has cropped up on the market for many sustainable alternatives. To name a couple…
Our Bamboo Kitchen Towels: Completely replace paper kitchen towels which are usually wrapped in single-use plastic. These Bamboo Towels can be reused up to 85 times per sheet after popping them in the washing machine, and are packaged in 100% recyclable paper packaging.
Toothbrushes: A daily utensil and a sustainable swap from the plastic toothbrush… I’m in. Out of 3.6 billion plastic toothbrushes used annually worldwide, 80% ends up in the sea harming marine life (The Independent, 2020). Bamboo is your au natural, non – plastic alternative. Cleaning your teeth AND conscious, it’s a no brainer.
Hairbrush: Brushing your hair is part of the daily rituals – we need them! Well, what if they were produced not with plastic but with a natural alternative sourced from our natural surroundings? The bamboo hairbrush is sturdy, great for distributing the natural oils in our hair and will KNOT take no for an answer.
Natural Soap and Shampoo Bars: Now these, I have only just jumped on the bandwagon. A product free from synthetic fragrances, parabens, SLS, and NOT pumped full of water unlike the soap or shampoo contained in plastic bottles. It’s a win win. A personal favourite is the olive oil shower soap – the Mediterranean lifestyle is the healthiest lifestyle after all. Clean away the day the eco way – no chemicals and no drama.
Get yourself a shell soap dish to really add to the home aesthetic.
4. Revivo Barefoot by VivoBarefoot
VivoBarefoot have a brilliant initiative where they are reviving all their returned shoes, and resell them at a discounted price to encourage people to buy second hand. VivoBarefoot’s research highlights 90% of shoes end up in landfill.
The thought of wearing someone else’s shoes they have previously worn doesn’t sound that appealing, but VivoBarefoot have said they thoroughly sanitise all returned products using MicroFresh technology. Repolished and upcycled shoes are paving an eco and affordable path there.
5. Join an organisation!
Truly passionate about the plastic problem? There are plenty of organisations actively tackling the plastic problem on a larger scale. Donations, organised plastic pickup (we’re going to be hosting one on September 3rd in Kent!), campaigns – there are several ways you can get stuck in and enable change.
Surfers Against Sewage is a charity geared towards depolluting the ocean and combating global warming. Become a member and join the fight to save the planet.
Greenpeace is a charity analysing government action and challenging them on initiatives they are not fulfilling or should be. Put yourself on the frontline with this charity and call out the big dogs with your biggest woof.
