5 quick tips for a motivating introduction to a plastic-free life
5 quick tips for a motivating introduction to a plastic-free life
How can you get off to a good start in a plastic-free (re) life?
I’ve asked myself this question more than once in the last two weeks because, unfortunately, plastic fasting is much more difficult for me than I thought. My conclusion so far: I now know exactly why people keep saying, “Never change a running system!” My “running system” is my daily habit. The favourite cream (in the plastic tube), the little health food store around the corner, where you can buy pasta and other staples (in plastic containers) so conveniently and that I would like to continue to support. It is the shampoo (in the plastic packaging) that I have been using for years that my hair shines and smells good with, and my toothpaste that makes my teeth insensitive to pain. I’ve gotten used to all of these things, and they work quite well for me.
Constantly avoiding plastic would mean permanently replacing what I loved with something else, and that’s hard for me. Very difficult.
Mistakes have a direct effect on my comfort zone. If the new (homemade) toothpaste is worse than the old one, if my teeth hurt, if the new shampoo doesn’t work, then my hair is stringy or straw-coloured, and I can’t stand the new cream, I might have pimples or dry skin. In fact, I had imagined that without plastic, it would be easier, and I’m even more complicated than I thought. And now? Give up and go on like before? Sounds depressing, right? And that is exactly why it is not an option. After doing my plastic inventory at home, I had big plans. I wanted to change a lot, and, most importantly, I wanted to get rid of the plastic packaging in our lives right away.
What I urgently need now is an (uh) motivating entry into a (more) plastic-free life.
I need some quick feelings of accomplishment that can be implemented simply and easily. And here are 5 points that each of us can screw into very quickly.
- Constantly replace all plastic bags, sheeting (e.g. at the cheese counter), and plastic cups with reusable versions that you brought with you.
These can be cloth bags and cloth bags, but also plastic boxes reusable or sandwich bags. The latter is especially suitable for cheese since the cheese does not start to sweat there. And your coffee to go feels particularly good in a simple glass jar or reusable mug.
- Use plastic-free alternatives when shopping.
Do you need milk or juice? So, starting today, you can buy the product in a glass bottle instead of a tetra pack. Yogurt in the jar is also a better option than the one in the plastic cup. In many cases, retail offers us alternatives without any additional effort. We can still buy (a lot) in the usual store. We just need to develop an awareness of where we can easily avoid plastic packaging. Why does the liquid soap have to be wrapped in plastic? A scented bar of soap is a great way to save unnecessary junk without the hassle.
- Replacing fruit juicers with reusable versions
I was a fan of juicers when my kids were younger. I’m ashamed! I didn’t think about the amount of waste these snacks produce because I found them so convenient. Today is different. I find fruit squash to be expendable, and not just because my kids are a little taller. A small glass jar and spoon are a perfect eco-friendly replacement for the disposable squeeze bag and are also significantly cheaper. If you still don’t want to miss out on the snacks, we recommend reusable variants. There are easy-to-clean, resalable plastic or silicone bags on the Internet that can be quickly filled with the fruit pulp, vegetable puree, or yogurt of your choice. Just as tasty, cheaper, and even more sustainable.
- Doing More Yourself Saves Packaging Waste
It doesn’t matter if you cook or craft yourself. Lending a hand yourself often saves waste. For most people, this is probably the easiest and fastest way to cook them yourself. Try to avoid prepared and take-out foods whenever possible. This not only has the advantage that fewer packages end up in the trash. They also know exactly what you are eating and where all the ingredients are coming from.
- Reusable tap water and glass bottles instead of drinks made from disposable plastic bottles
One way to save a lot of plastic waste is to choose our drinks. Much of what we drink every day comes from single-use bottles that are thrown away after the first use. A deposit is often returned to you, but only a little over 40% is recycled. Yes sir. So small! The rest is simply burned. What an unnecessary waste of raw materials. There is a wide variety of drinks made from reusable glass bottles. And if you don’t feel like lugging around heavy glass bottles, you can confidently switch to tap water. The quality of our drinking water is very good.
For me, the easiest way to have a permanent plastic-free life is first to downshift and start with simple projects. Don’t tackle too fast and too much at once; that can be quite demotivating. It is not good when you have a marathon ahead of you. And maybe you shouldn’t immediately start with the things that matter to you. Be careful about the habits you love and take the time to switch to plastic-free products. Every step, no matter how small, is a step in the right direction. Everything takes time and every success, no matter how small, is very motivating.