5 Ways to Live a Plastic Free Life

  • Richard Robinson
  • 23rd February 2017

We are all somewhat aware of the amount of plastic that we consume on a daily basis, but often do little to curb the excessive waste that we consume. We've compiled a list of 5 things you can easily do without that will make a big difference to your non-recycleable output and to help you lead a plastic free life.

  • Drinks bottles

Perhaps the most obvious, the plastic drink bottle is one of the worst offenders. Whilst some bottles can be recycled, the lack of availability of recycling bins means that most plastic bottles will be tossed in with the non-recycleable trash. We recommend buying a metal flask or any kind of reuseable bottle so you can bring your own drinks from home and save money whilst doing it.

  • Straws

In the last 25 years, over 6 million straws and stirrers were removed from beaches during annual cleaning events. Straws consist of the petroleum bi-product polypropylene. This bi-product does not easily degrade naturally in the environment, and ends up floating across the oceans until it is consumed by some aquatic organism. There are very few cases where straws are actually nessersary, so why not ditch them and simply sip from the glass? 

  • Plastic cutlery and plates

Next time you decide to have a picnic or buffet, pick the recycleable cutlery and plates. Whilst some alternatives can be more expensive, it is surely worth the expense to be able to recycle the entire event afterwards.

  • Disposable razors

There's a plethora of options available to avoid those pesky Bics! And you'll save yourself the shaving cuts as well! in the US a staggering two billion disposable razors go to landfill sites every year, and in the UK we throw away millions more too. And because they’re made from plastics that do not break down, that means your disposable razor is going to be a part of the landscape for a very long time to come.

  • Plastic bags

We're all aware plastic bags are bad for the environment but some of us still forget to take a reusable cotton bag to the shops (me included). Why not leave a couple in your car or one in your handbag or coat pocket so next time you're caught short you'll have a back up and won't have to pay that pesky 5p.