Top tips to reduce our plastic use

Picture of Taylor Alden

Taylor Alden

As we are all aware, plastic is incredibly harmful to the environment. The forms of plastic that can’t be recycled are stuck in landfills and the sea, and…well…stay there!

We’re all for saving the planet, so we’ve put together our top tips for helping reduce our combined plastic usage, because, if we all do something little, it’ll add up to a lot!

  1. Ditch the plastic drinks and carry your own drinks container

Plastic water bottles are one of the most common causes of plastic waste. Over the last few years, more and more brands have made a switch to recyclable plastic with some bottles, including caps, being made 100% recyclable. But is it enough? Carrying your own water bottle is more sustainable as they can be reused.

If you’re a coffee lover, this is another small thing where you can make a change for the sake of the environment. According to WWF, the UK throws away around seven million coffee cups a day! Most often than not, these cups aren’t recyclable. So, why not trade the non-recyclable coffee cup for a reusable flask of your own. Not only will it keep your coffee a lot warmer on the way to work, it can also be personalised so no one else will touch your coffee!

  1. Straws slurp – stop using them

If you’re one of those people who hates the slurping noise that drinking from a straw can sometimes bring, then take up the campaign to ban straws. Sure, paper straws are a great alternative to plastic ones that harm animals; but, why use a straw at all? If you don’t need one, don’t use one.

  1. Make way for the Milkman

In recent years, the popularity of the milkman has returned, which is great news for the environment. Instead of buying milk in plastic bottles from the supermarket, opt for getting your milk delivered in glass bottles. The glass bottles are often reused and are made from a material that is most definitely recyclable.

  1. Solid soap over shower gel

The most recent product to take the hit in the plastics debate is shower gel as it has unnecessary plastic packaging. A more environmentally friendly alternative is solid soap in a bar; not only does this not have excess plastic packaging, its’ carbon footprint is 25% smaller than that of shower gels. Stop plastics; use solid soap! FYI – Abacus Bathrooms do an excellent range of soap dishes and built-in shelves for your new solid soap bar.