Surprise! Six Products You Can Buy Plastic-Free!
We have a profound plastic pollution problem on our planet.
Plastic is in everything—and I mean EVERYTHING. Over ten years ago, my family made a commitment to avoid plastic, yet we still end up with plastic. And, boy, is this the most frustrating task yet! These days, plastic is found in food, clothes, kitchenware, eyeglasses, hygiene products, phones, computers, candy, cars—even gum. Plastic is one of the most wasteful materials in the world. Most plastic (like a plastic bag or plastic water bottle) is used for only a very short time before being discarded.
- Plastic is just one of the worst things created by humans and is dangerous because it’s polluting our cities, oceans, and waterways. It contributes to health problems in humans and animals. Companies that produce plastic spend a great deal of money campaigning about its safety when the truth is far from that—and we’re not told about it.
- In the U.S., plastic is the third largest industry, and it’s responsible for 400 billion dollars in shipments. We must remember that the plastic business is producing this volume of material because of consumer demand, so less demand will create less plastic. The sad truth is that out of the 40 million tons of plastic waste generated in the U.S. in 2021, only 5% to 6%—or about two million tons—was recycled. And most people don’t realize that the majority of single-use plastic products are made from fossil fuels.
- Plastic is made to be durable and last forever. And it does. A plastic bag or plastic toy in a landfill — or worse, in nature— will outlive my kids, my grandkids, and me. I think most of us know by now that plastic is in our daily routines and in pretty much everything else and that it’s damaging for the planet and humans. As for the rest, I think it boils down to the easiness of thinking that we don’t hurt anyone by using plastic.
So if you, like my family, try to reduce plastic, here are some things you might not know you can buy plastic-free.
Toothpaste
I’m happy to say that today, you can find many different alternatives to single-use plastic containers. Plastic-free options include toothpaste tablets sold in a metal container or in a glass container or compostable bag. My personal favorite is tooth powder.
Dental floss
To ensure that our pearly whites stay super clean, consider flossing with refillable plastic-free floss in a glass container. Another option is floss in a bamboo container.
Makeup
Many women (myself included) wear makeup almost every day, which adds up to a lot of plastic in one lifetime. I’m happy to say there are more and more plastic-free options on the market for both plastic- and chemical-free makeup, and some are even refillable, like Elate makeup or Izzy.
Shampoo and Conditioner
Use shampoo and conditioner bars or another option is Plain products that sells shampoo and conditioner, as well as hand soap and lotion, in plastic-free containers.
Dish Soap
Instead of using dish soap in a plastic bottle for hand dishwashing, use a dish soap block or dish soap powder.
Sunblock
Summer is coming, and with it, the need for sunblock. Our favorite plastic-free sunblock is from Raw Elements. Their sunblock is also chemical-free, and they even have a tinted option, which I like to wear under my makeup.
Learn more ways to reduce plastic and waste at home in my book A practical guide to zero waste for families.
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