By Ross Jacobs
With Earth Month here, there are three main themes to keep in mind if you’re looking to swap plastic out of your home:
Look for refillable containers. It’s easy to find refillable options for products like hand soap, and sustainably minded shoppers will have noticed them for everything from deodorant to candles. Refills tend to come with less packaging and reduce the number of non-recyclable pumps and sprayers you buy. Aluminum is our favorite option for refillable vessels. It’s infinitely recyclable!
Consider powders and solids instead of liquids. Lots of brands eliminate plastic by choosing form factors that don’t need a bottle, for example shampoo bars and laundry sheets.
Group your online purchases. The packaging industry produces more plastic every year than any other industry. If you bundle orders from one retailer, you can cut back on shipping envelopes, bubble wrap, Styrofoam, and other plastic packaging.
If you’ve already bought single-use plastic products, go ahead and use them, and dispose of them as sustainably as possible. Ridwell available to take care of zip-top bags, loose plastic lids, food pouches, and more.
Here is the ultimate home-essentials plastic swap checklist, a room-by-room list to help you stock your home with fewer plastic products and throw away less plastic packaging.
Kitchen: Reusable straws, snack bags, and shopping bags; Beeswax wraps; Reusable silicone stretch wrap; Reusable food keepers; Refillable dish soap or bar dish soap; Natural sponge or Swedish dishcloths; Scrubber brush with replaceable heads
Powder dishwasher detergent or plant-based pods; Compostable or recycled trash bags; Washable recycling bag; Paper food scrap sacks for composting.
Bathroom: Shampoo and conditioner bars; Natural or recycled plastic loofah; Refillable body wash or bar soap; Bamboo toothbrush and holder; Silk dental floss; Reusable cotton pads and swabs; Makeup remover towel; Plastic-free razors and natural shaving cream; Refillable deodorant; Refillable hand soap or bar hand soap; Refillable lotion or bar lotion; Reusable menstrual cup or washable period underwear; Compostable bandages; Seed-filled heating pad; Toilet brush with replaceable head; Plunger with replaceable head.
Laundry room: Powder or sheet detergent, refillable concentrated liquid detergent, or plant-based pods; Wool dryer balls or compostable dryer sheets; Refillable stain remover; Washing bag that catches microplastics; Reusable lint brush.
In the battle of the planet against plastics, every little bit helps! Between choosing items from this list and recycling unavoidable plastic with Ridwell, you’re helping the planet win. For more information and sustainability tips, visit www.ridwell.com/join/atlanta.
