The good news is, you can make a change. Just one little choice can make a difference, and these choices can become habits that stay with you for life.
It is not always easy to know where to start, so we have put together some suggestions to get the ball rolling.
1. Plastic is not the Devil. As much as plastic can be detrimental to the environment, we also have to consider how products are created and used. Many products that are designed to be used several times can also have a negative impact if thrown away after one use. Likewise, if you have plastic products at home, reusing them or re-purposing them is often a better alternative than purchasing a new product to do the same job.
2. Embrace reusable cups. Take a reusable coffee cup and/or a water bottle with you when you go out. These can both be refilled on the go, and they limit the need/impulse to buy drinks (win for the hip-pocket, too!)
3. Take your own produce bags to the supermarket. We are mostly getting the hang of taking grocery bags with us, but what about those little plastic bags for fruit? If you have one or two (or several) of them at home, pop some back into one of your reusable shopping bags for next trip, or purchase or make some small fabric or mesh bags to use. While I am talking bags, stash them in different places to make it harder to forget them all (some in the car, some in the kitchen, some in the pram, some in your handbag - whatever works for you).
4. Reduce packaging. Where possible, choose products that do not come wrapped in superfluous plastic. In a supermarket, an example might be loose apples versus a plastic container of apples wrapped in cellophane. Sometimes buying in bulk (and decanting into smaller containers, if you like) can also help reduce plastic waste. Farmer's markets and the like usually have "nude" food you can put in your own bag, container or box.
5. Carry your own utensils. When out and about, it is easy to grab take-away food to eat, but it often comes with an array of plastic cutlery, including straws, forks, spoons, etc. If you are able to, carrying some of the utensils you think you might need can cut down on the need to use and dispose of plastic ones.
6. Use covers or wraps instead of cling wrap. One of the most frequently used plastic products in a home would surely have to be cling wrap. Cover your food with bowl covers, lids, or beeswax wraps to limit the amount of cling wrap you use.
7. Ditch the sandwich bags. You know the ones. Those zip-lock life-savers that get used for everything. Whilst you may find it handy to still have some around just in case, there are many times where a container or fabric bag (even a mini wetbag) can step in to save the day. There are even reusable zip-lock silicone pouches you can buy now to do the job.
8. Limit plastic toys. Although they can sometimes be more expensive, wooden toys often allow for more creative play (and less electronic noise). When plastic toys break, they are usually sharp and can be difficult, if not impossible, to mend. Steel, fabric and "plastic" toys made from plant fibres, along with real-life objects are also options for lots of fun play.
9. Choose powdered laundry detergent. Liquid detergent commonly comes in a thick plastic bottle (albeit usually recyclable), whilst powder comes in a cardboard box. While you are in the laundry frame of mind, also consider purchasing a detergent that does not come with its own plastic scoop. A cup; container; or scoop from an old box can work just as well. Metal or wooden pegs round out the trifecta here, and can be more durable than plastic, too.
10. Change your toothbrush. We should swap our toothbrushes over regularly, but have you ever thought about how many of them go into landfill? Bamboo or cornstarch toothbrushes are two alternatives that are a bit more friendly on the environment.
What other things have you done, or would you like to do, to make a difference in your life?
]]>The Australian Nappy Association stand at the Essential Baby and Toddler show was well attended by people with varying experiences, including new and expectant parents, current cloth nappy users and other stallholders, to name a few. As such, it was a great opportunity for Tots and Toddlers to be able to represent the ANA yesterday (Saturday the 2nd of April 2016) alongside Baby Beehinds consultant, Hayley, and share our passion for cloth nappies.
Not the best pic, but we hardly had time to stop! 😉
For many people, the opportunity to see cloth nappies “in real life”, touch them and explore how they work was of huge value to them, having only seen them online beforehand. Hayley and I were able to show a range of nappies from the Get Into Cloth Kit and briefly describe each one’s features to lots of interested people, including those who already use cloth nappies; those who used traditional cloth nappies in the past; those who have been wanting to know more about cloth nappies; and those who had never seen or heard of them before, other than traditional terry flats.
Baby Beehinds consultant, Hayley
Discussions about the ANA’s role and the resources available on the ANA website (such as wash instructions, fitting tips and the Cloth in Childcare Ambassador Pack) were a major focus of our day, with us giving out many fliers containing details about the Australian Nappy Association over the course of the day. We also had the opportunity to offer advice, bust myths, share stories and spruik about the benefits of using cloth nappies which, all in all, made for a fantastic day!
Thanks for the good times, Melbourne!
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