We know, you don't know where to put the "plastic bag full of plastic bags" in your house either. Nor do you know what to do when your child's birthday comes round and they ask you for a straw to drink from. And what are you going to cover watermelon with in summer when you put it in the fridge? As far as you know, it won't fit in a container and the only option you have is plastic wrap, right?
It is clear that reducing plastic in our homes is a titanic task. It's not that we don't want to, it's that the supermarkets or shops where you go shopping have plastic. That's why we're going to be practical: we're going to give you easy solutions that you can implement at home:
Zero waste soap
Around 552 million bottles of shampoo are thrown away every year. Add the amount of gel in little plastic bottles of different sizes that we waste all the time. At home there is a simple option: solid shampoo and soap. Inexpensive, durable and easy to carry, need more reasons to use it?
Straws, yes, but reusable forever
Family events, birthdays or a simple celebration with friends. We've lived with the image of the straw in our drink forever, and sometimes it feels like we're missing out on something important if we don't include it. But just one fact: 500 million straws a day. This is the amount of straws used in the US. They are used just once and thrown away.
How to avoid this amount of waste? By using a stainless steel straw at home. But, above all, by becoming aware that we do not need a straw to enjoy a drink. The taste will not change and we will be helping to reduce waste.
Not without my coffee
Coffee lover to the core? There's nothing better than waking up in the morning, going to the kitchen and letting warm coffee fill that first moment of the day with its aroma, right? We agree, as long as we are not the ones flooding the environment with capsules.
The 20 billion single-use coffee capsules used around the world every year almost always end up in landfill. Did you know that you can get the same coffee satisfaction, but with reusable capsules? They won't generate waste and you can still enjoy your favourite moment of the day.
Beeswax wrappers
We dare you to open your fridge and see how much cling film is in there. One of the most commonly used products in our kitchens, it turns out to be one of the most polluting. Cling film is almost impossible to recycle and ends up in landfill. What can we replace it with?
One of the most versatile options is beeswax wrapping. These useful wrappings can be used to cover containers that are to be stored in the fridge, wrap food and even transport it. Another even simpler option? You have no excuse for being sustainable in your kitchen!
Buy in bulk
That empty bleach or detergent container is perfectly suitable for a bulk refill in an organic shop or apothecary. And a small cloth bag can be used to put fruit and vegetables in at the supermarket, instead of wrapping them in plastic.
Step by step, eliminating plastic from our daily lives
At Biosphere we also work to ensure that our certified companies are more sustainable and work to reduce and better manage their waste.
Achieving a more sustainable home is easy if you concentrate your efforts on achieving short-term goals. That way you can include more and more sustainable actions instead of getting frustrated at not being zero waste from the start. And, who knows, from here to making your own compost and becoming self-sufficient may be just a step away. What do you think?