What are your favorite tricks for reducing your plastic use?

[Scrivener7]

In a recent thread, Stargazer99 rightfully bemoaned the fact that everything is packaged in plastic these days.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=17928615

Duer txwhitedove had a nice post in the thread that described how they cut down on their plastic use:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100217928615

We started 5 years ago by turning down plastic
straws and bought reusable straws for home and car.
Then bamboo toothbrushes.
Reusable shopping bags, and no produce in plastic.
Inexpensive washable napkins, no paper.
Found eco friendly plant based garbage bags.
Bought inexpensive absorbent kitchen towels, so rarely paper.
Make my own citrus all purpose spray cleaner, healthier.
Bought the laundry detergent sheets in small box for 3 years, they are terrific. (Breezo, Earth Breeze on Amazon but starting to see ads now.)
Buy bleach tablets in small bottle, then add 1 to water in marked glass jar for use.
French Press coffee maker so no filters
No plastic scent plug ins, that also saves electricity.
All this has really cut down on trash we put out.

I hadn't heard of bleach tablets before. I'll be trying those.

My favorite trick: I make my own laundry detergent from Cascade detergent, washing powder and borax. I put a quarter cup each into an old laundry soap plastic bottle and fill it up with water. I've been using the same bottle for a decade. The recipe cleans better than Tide without the unnecessary chemical additives for suds and perfume.

What are YOUR favorite tricks for reducing your plastic use?

[WestMichRad]

1. We buy a lot of our grocery items from a farmers' market and a local food co-op...

... where we can use our own containers for many items.

Always take our own shopping bags too. I've walked back out to the car to get them many times. One trick is to always put your shopping bags back into the car after a shopping trip, so you don't have to remember them when preparing to leave on the next trip.

[Scrivener7]

4. I bought a couple of those mesh bags. They fit in a purse, but they hold EVERYTHING.

All our local farmer's markets seem to sell them now in cotton.

[appalachiablue]

2. Good list, thanks. K/R

[Tetrachloride]

3. Potatoes

[madinmaryland]

8. +1

[marble falls]

5. We do what we can. But every little bit does help.

[Marthe48]

6. I don't do great keep trying

I participated in the First Earth Day, and have tried to reduce using anything over the years.
We made a habit of buying everything used that we could. We bought new clothes for our kids, but we didn't mind buying at yard sales for us.
I reuse all plastic as much as I can. I get the big kitchen storage bags, and use them for bread I bake. I wash them and resuse.
No dishwasher
I've got a coffee machine with a mesh filter, no paper filters
Minimum use of paper towels. I use 2 when I bake bread, but I'm switching to one paper towel and one cloth towel
Minimum purchase of convenience and processed food. Stopped eating canned food a few years ago. I use metal and glass pans to cook in, so there's very little trash to put on the curb
I recycle aluminum. I donate the cans I've saved up to the humane society.
I combine driving. I still drive more than I want to, but I help with my grandkids. I'm driving a 2008 Prius, which might be my last car.
No pesticides inside or outside. I asked my lawn guy to put me last on his list and not to worry if there are rain delays. Most of my neighbors started mowing in mid-March, and mow every single week. My yard has been mowed 3 times since the first week of April.
I use vinegar for some cleaning. I use bleach sparingly for specific reasons.
I do full loads of laundry, usually 2 loads every 10 days
My daughter helps me recycle cardboard and plastics if I have any I can't use.


I think the biggest contribution my husband and I made was to teach our children to recycle, reuse. They do a much better job than we ever did and I'm so proud of them for being so committed to conservation. My husband's family inherited some oil and gas rights, which were leased to frackers before my husband passed away. Our kids inherited the rights, and get small payments. They contribute the money to environmental groups. Makes me so happy

I'm going to bookmark the thread. Lots of terrific ideas I might try Thank you!

[Scrivener7]

7. I would think there would be a lot of climate advantage in your

baking your own bread, too. No trucking, no packaging, no preservative manufacturing.

Nice list! Great that your kids are into it too.

I hadn't thought about second-hand reducing the use of plastic, but you're right. I look around my home and most of it is refurbished old pieces or pieces made by family members. (My dad was a master carpenter who ALWAYS used varnish instead of polyurethane on the furniture he made.)

I'm also trying to always get natural fiber clothing. That is a hard thing to stick to because the selection is smaller and it's more expensive. But I stick to it about 90% of the time.

[Marthe48]

12. I enjoyed reading your list

It helps me stay on track knowing other people are trying as hard or harder I was using my own bags, but during Covid, the local stores wouldn't let us. I might be able to start up again, unless I use self checkouts. "Put your purchase in a bag." Please call an assistant for help." I can hear it now.

I don't think a lot of modern living is compatible with conserving. We did better when we had the clerk measure items from barrels into little bags (like Little House on the Prairie) or had bread and milk delivered to the houses, or had reusable containers. Guess we can't do most of those things because of communicable diseases.

[roamer65]

9. No children.

Plus I only throw away about 10 pct of my waste output.

[Scrivener7]

10. It's true, though!

[roamer65]

11. It amazes me every week.

Households with kids in my neighborhood have one or two garbage bins full out every week.

With my recycling, I put my landfill trash bin out once a month and it’s only about 1/4 full maximum.

Our recycling takes nearly everything and costs nothing.

I wish more would use it.

[Axelrods_Typewriter]

13. I try not to buy it in the first place!

I always try to find something packaged in glass or metal rather than plastic. Glass and metal can be recycled essentially infinitely, if they do go to the landfill the can will turn back into the iron dust it started as and the glass is essentially inert stuff, it doesn't break down into harmful chemicals or microplastics. If I can't, I choose whatever looks like it uses the least amount of plastic.

I also carry my own water bottle, this saves money on buying bottled water (if I run out, I refill at public water fountains - they're free) and no plastic waste is generated. I can't believe how many people buy bottled water, it's such a scam.

Don't buy stupid plastic junk and gadgets! Use what you already have, and if you can't use it any more, save up a bit and get something that will last and that you can maintain.

I use an old percolator for coffee, no filters to be used and thrown away.

The only plastic ziploc bags that don't get washed and reused are ones that are in contact with any kind of meat (or if the food goes bad while it's in the bag). The rest of em, they get washed and turned inside-out to dry. There is one more exception though - onion; if a ziploc has onion in it, the onion smell is essentially in the bag forever. But I rarely use ziplocs, I mainly use them for portioning out larger packages of meat, instead I use reusable containers.

I bought a pack of those white terry hand towels they sell for washing cars. I use those instead of paper towels and kleenex for most things.

This is gonna sound kinda stupid, but instead of buying pop, for the most part I drink kool-aid or other drink mixes if I want something like that. I probably buy only one or two cases of pop a year. Kool-aid packets are made of paper, they weigh basically nothing so they're not as polluting to transport as HFCS water is. My pitcher is plastic, but barring a very unique accident it's a once in a lifetime purchase, so I don't feel bad. I also like making batches of iced tea.

I always carry a reusable shopping bag from Aldi with me. Once you start doing this you'll find endless uses for one.

[Scrivener7]

14. Nice list!!!

I had very seldom bought ziplock bags, but with cutting down on takeout, I've bought a box. I have been washing and reusing them but worried about whether that is sanitary. Glad to hear someone else has had success with this.

[vanlassie]

15. If I'm making a small purchase of only one or two bags worth of items

And I’ve forgotten bags, I just take my cart to the car with no bag and put the items in my trunk. I fold the plastic bags with handles cut out from the groceries like you would fold a flag- starting at the bottom. At the top the handle ends tuck in to the little triangular packet. They fit easily into a purse!