10 tips for a plastic-free life

Single-use plastics are everywhere. Think of plastic bags, food packaging, plastic straws, water bottles, takeaway containers...

It may be cheap and convenient, but it has tragic consequences. Plastic pollutes the land and air, destroys the oceans and our marine life, and even enters our bodies.

Good tips to reduce your plastic use:

1. Bring your own bag.
   Buy a few good cloth bags and leave them in the car or in your bag so you always have them at hand. 

2. Give up bottled water.
   You don't need them. There are plenty of good quality reusable bottles that you can fill with tap water or filtered water and it's a lot more environmentally friendly. 

3. “Unpack” your toilet paper!
   Buy bare toilet paper rolls wrapped in cardboard. By buying tree-free toilet paper, you save trees and paper waste. Follow The Good Roll's Wrapless Choice toilet paper or for ultimate sustainability , #NAKED Bamboo toilet paper . 

4. Use natural cleaning products.
   If you need something with scrubbing power, go for copper instead of plastic. Use a cotton dishcloth or a coconut brush for washing dishes, instead of a plastic scrub brush.

5. Remove plastic from your laundry routine.
   Use soap flakes or soap strips instead of conventional detergents that come in plastic-lined cartons with plastic scoops or bulky plastic jugs. They are truly terrible for the planet.

6. Choose plastic-free chewing gum.
   Did you know that almost all chewing gum is made of plastic? With the exception of the plastic-free chewing gum of course…

7. Switch to bar soap instead of liquid soap.
   People sometimes worry that sharing a bar of soap is less hygienic than sharing a bottle of liquid soap. But a bar of soap is rinsed off every time you use it, the plastic pump is not!

8. Make your own snacks and energy bars.
   You don't have to give up crackers, energy bars, and other plastic-wrapped snacks if you learn to make them yourself.

9. Use a tissue instead of paper tissues.
   Every Kleenex has a plastic opening/wrapper. But! We can avoid plastic waste by choosing reusable tissues. Some people make their own from old t-shirts, or you can go for The Good Roll tissue boxes which are 100% plastic free!

10. Find DIY solutions for tech needs.
    For example: knit a case for your iPad instead of buying a plastic one, or crochet new ear cushions for your headphones if the foam has worn out.