Say goodbye to plastics and useless packaging

Old habits die hard!

So, it is time for us to re-evaluate how we shop, what our favourite products are packaged in, what we drink from & heaps more of our learned behaviours since plastic became such a convenient and valued product.

We need to consider the weight of all the plastic and excess packaging that mounts up in landfill, in our oceans, rivers and communities, and take a look at what we can do to reduce or re-organise our lives so that we tread more lightly on the earth. According to Greenpeace in the North Pacific alone, is an area the size of Turkey or Texas of floating plastic rubbish! This is unacceptable.

The worst culprits are single use items ie: take away coffee & food containers, plastic drinking straws, plastic bags and excess packaging. Saying no to the products that present in plastic wrap and then beautiful printed cardboard is a start. Some even have foam and other stabilising items as their products are being transported from overseas, adding further damage to our environment.

There are plenty of products that only come in the container that will be used daily (multi use) without throwing away all the excess single use outer layers. Packaging is a great marketing opportunity, but really, we only throw it out! Sometimes we keep it because it looks SO great, but ultimately it goes in the bin!

Using your own re-useable takeaway coffee cup, drink bottle and stainless steel straws is a good start. Most cafes are now happy to fill a cup that is bought in. The more we demand it the more it will be accepted. It's tempting to crack out the plastic or paper plates when you've got a few guests around for a summer BBQ but the planet will thank you if you embrace washing the good old dishes. Or, get someone else to, you cooked the meal!

Buying in bulk is another method of making a concerted effort to reduce the rubbish in our bins and landfill. Buy 2-5ltr instead of 200ml, 500ml-1ltr and refill your smaller container. Keep the smaller daily use container for as many refills as possible. Take your own re-useable shopping bags, refuse the perfectly wrapped or presented vegetables in supermarkets. What’s wrong with picking up individual vegies or fruits and putting into your re-usable bags, we used to do it?

Get creative and start reducing plastic and excess packaging. The planet will be grateful.