CCAPP’s tips on how to go plastic-free!
Don’t try to do it all at once.
Or do! Plastic infiltrates every single aspect of our lives. That’s why it’s so important to pressure elected officials to pass legislation reducing and banning plastic. In the meantime, try picking a few household items to swap out with plastic-free alternatives.
Health food stores that sell nuts, beans, grains, etc. in bulk seem now to have replaced their small brown bags with more plastic ones. Challenge this!
They often keep brown bags at the check-out counter. Ask the clerk who is probably happy to give it to you as they, too, are overwhelmed by all the plastic.
Buy wine bottles with cork only.
Yes - not all wine bottles are sealed with plastic. Look for wine bottles sold only with the cork.
Use shampoo and conditioner bars instead of bottled.
See our shopping guide for recommendations on where to get these. Even Hannaford has started to sell shampoo bars.
Bring your own containers to restaurants for your leftovers.
Easy one.
Mayonnaise, shampoo, jams, pretty much anything in packaging -- tap the bottles to see if they’re plastic or glass (always the better choice).
If you already tap melons to check for freshness, this one will be fun for you.
Rather than use tupperware that constantly breaks and wears down with age, reuse glass bottles and jars for food storage - the food keeps better.
You can even keep the glass jars in your freezer - just be careful when you take them out to thaw!
You can request that your meat and fish be wrapped in paper, not plastic. The clerk may be surprised but will remember your request.
The more people who request plastic-free products at the grocery store, the more widespread and accepted it will be.
Make your own cleaning supplies and fragrances.
Here’s one of our member’s favorites for a DIY Natural Hair Perfume:
Ingredients: 45 drops of Essential Oils (Recommended: 14 drops Top notes, 22 drops Middle notes, 9 drops Base Notes.) | 2 tsp Carrier (vodka, witch hazel, aloe vera gel, or jojoba oil) | 3.5 oz Distilled Water or Rose Water
Method: Combine 45 drops essential oils of choice until desired scent is reached. The scent will change some when diluted, and also as it sits and “brews” over the coming weeks in your perfume bottle. (Be sure to write down your blend so that you can replicate or alter it easily with your next batch!)