Going absolutely plastic-free can be so daunting (especially when grocery shopping) that it is easy to give up. A few summers ago, we tried our first Plastic-Free July and had an absolute meltdown in the grocery store when we realized that you can't buy much of anything without plastic. I don't think we had ever realized before just how dependent we are on plastic for our food shopping.

The amount of plastic we bring home with our food is a big problem. Plastic food wrappers are one of the largest sources of plastic overtaking our oceans (plastic will outnumber fish by 2050) and our land. We need to clean up our oceans, but we also need to turn off the tap of all of this plastic. Businesses and brands need to take the lead to turn away from plastic, but we can hold them accountable as consumers by refusing plastic-wrapped products and by speaking up. This helps us too- we know that plastic packaging is connected to a host of health problems with our endocrine system, our hormones, and may even lead to cancer. We need single use plastic out of our lives, and soon.

I love people who manage to be zero waste- that is freaking awesome! For me, the goal is to get through the grocery store with 3 plastic-wrapped items or less. This wiggle room gives us freedom (and keeps us from falling off the wagon completely), because we don't have to be perfect. I think perfection is a trap (on that note, we fail pretty often. Then we try again the next time we go. The real trick to making a positive impact on the environment is to just keep trying).

We all have what we can do, and what doesn't make sense for our lives. I try to think of it as a plastic diet- doing a fad or cutting completely probably won't last. Instead, I try to make pretty good decisions most of the time. You can only do what makes sense for your life, so pick a number you feel comfortable with.

So, this is my challenge for you- the next time you go shopping, count how many pieces of plastic you leave with. Could you cut that number in half? How about by a third?

I know that low waste shopping can seem intimidating. It keeps us from our normal routine and does sometimes require some planning. But plastic is absolutely overtaking our planet, so it is worth doing. Here are my best, simplest tips for getting a bunch of plastic out of your shopping trip.

1. Be Prepared and Bring Our Bags

The biggest step is to show up prepared. When we are on point, we have cloth grocery bags, our Colony Co produce bags (love these), and containers for the meat and deli counters.

 If you need tips on how to shift to reusable bags, I have a whole post on that here.

2. Let Our Produce Swing Free

Ok, now if you are like me, you may have some emergency grocery runs mid-week (we are always running out of milk and apples... it doesn't matter how much I buy). If I wasn't planning on coming, I may not be as prepared, but I can usually still make my goal happen. I either dig up a bag in the car somewhere or I ask for paper.

For the produce, I just let my produce roll around in the cart, and then I wash them when I get home. There is truly no reason for plastic produce bags- your apples and oranges get along just fine in the cart.

3. We Shop the Outside Edge of the Store

Most everything on all those aisles in the middle are wrapped in plastic. We just have slowly gotten the hang of mostly just skipping the whole section. We stick to a lot of fresh produce, so we can use our plastic credits for bread, milk, and something else.

4. Eat Less Meat and Processed Food

Meat and processed foods tend to be wrapped in a lot of plastic. If you go absolutely zero waste, you will be buying lots of mushrooms and other plastic-free proteins!

Some meat and deli counters accept containers, but not all. But the truth is, most meat or seafood you buy has already had a pretty high plastic cost. Fishing nets are the number one source of plastic in our oceans and large farms use a tons of plastic for their farming and shipping. Best case scenario, environmentally-speaking, is that we all go vegan. But if you aren't ready for that leap you can still do a lot of good by eating less animal proteins. So we now eat more Meatless Monday meals and tend to choose meals where we can spread one package over several meals (I call them Less Meat Meals).

But yeah, the bad news is that if you are avoiding plastic waste, the cookie aisle is basically going to be a heart breaker. Our regular grocery store has donuts in the bakery you can take away in paper, so we do that. There is also usually a baker at the counter, so in theory you could ask for your favorite item before it hits the packaging. It's all about being strategic and not being afraid to ask questions! Same for the freezer aisle (we make our own popsicles- so easy).

5. Shopping our Local Farmer's Market and Bulk Stores

Unlike grocery stores, farmer's markets won't use fruit stickers and tend to be much more open to using whatever bag you happen to bring. I also love farmer's markets in the summer, because we can get berries without any plastic clam shell.

I am also obsessed with grocery stores with bulk spices, pasta, candy, and grains. We can get a ton of what we need in our own containers so we skip a bunch of plastic containers (this is really great for everything from filling our pantry to filling our Easter baskets). We also can buy these dry goods (and cleaning supplies) in pretty big quantities, so we don't have to do it all of the time. Think you don't have a bulk store near you? Check again! Even our tiny hometown has one 10 minutes away now. Do some research!

6. Beware of Paper Cartons

Pretty often, paper milk cartons are still lined with a thin layer of plastic that keeps the whole thing from being recyclable. You are better off buying one jug, which can be reused for water storage or recycled.

7. We Don't Buy Bottled Water. Ever. 

If you want to kill a bad habit, the first step is to just stop buying it. Just stop with water bottles.

We are lucky to live in a place where our tap water is perfectly drinkable with a healthy filter. I would never, ever buy bottled water, because you are really just paying for tap water wrapped in plastic garbage. It makes tons of sense if you live in Flint. The rest of us just need to stop.

8. We Order Our Paper Goods Online (and Wrapped in Paper)

We mostly use reusable options like unpaper towels and cloth napkins, but if we do need toilet paper, we buy it in bulk and wrapped in paper. THIS IS SO MUCH EASIER THAN GETTING IT FROM THE GROCERY STORE. This post gives you a big list of places you can buy toilet paper without plastic, but the short answer is to just fall in love with Who Gives a Crap, because they are awesome.

9. I Stopped Buying Pads

I have a menstrual cup. It is a freaking game changer, and if you haven't tried yet, look into it. Thinx is another option that people love, but the bottom line is that disposable pads and tampons have huge amounts of plastic in them, and no one needs them. If you want more plastic-free tips for your menses business, I have a whole post for that.

10. We Eat What We Buy 

I am not the best at using everything in our fridge, and we used to throw a lot of food out. My partner in grocery crime has become a pretty committed meal planner, and we throw away a lot less. It's so simple, but using what we have creates less waste. Less food and packaging wasted for nothing.

11. We Use Bar Soap and Refillable Shampoo Bottles

We have been using bar soap for a few years, and I wouldn't go back. It's just as easy, but everything comes wrapped in paper. I think bar soap is sorely due for a big comeback, because you can buy beautiful, local, paper wrapped soap that will last you so much time!

For shampoo, we use refillable shampoo bottle from Plaine Products. They send me a full metal bottle of shampoo every three months, and then I mail them back my empties in the same box. Bar shampoo didn't work for me, but this really does, and it is so simple to do.

That has been the big things that have helped us! Do you have a specific item that you can't figure out? Write me in the comments and I will try to help you find a plastic-free solution!

12. We Skip Boxed and Bagged Salads

Lettuce from the produce aisle takes a few minutes to clean and works just as well.

13. We Grow it Ourselves

We have parsley, basil, green onion, and chives growing in our yard all of the time, so we don't have to buy the little (way overpriced) plastic pouches of herbs. We also grow blue berries, strawberries, and raspberries in our yard. It isn't going to stop all plastic, but it is the most healing and fun way that we cut down on plastic.

14. We Skip Individually Wrapped

Just because you can't cut plastic out completely doesn't mean you can't cut out a whole lot of it. We will never buy those American cheese slices that are wrapped in plastic again. Even kraft sells their cheese slices without all that extra packaging, so we can even get American cheese without so much plastic.



Want more ideas for getting plastic out of your life? Check out our crazy long list of easy ways to cut plastics out! Happy Plastic-Free July!

When we think of going green, we mostly think of huge purchases like Teslas and solar panels, but the most eco-friendly purchases you can make don't necessarily cost tons of money and they don't come once in a blue moon.

Some of the best changes we can make are with the things we buy all the time and every day. We walk in the grocery store to pick up toilet paper, and we end up buying something that cuts down trees and is wrapped in plastic. For what?

There are good options for the basics we buy all the time- toilet paper, tissues, napkins, paper plates, we just have to change our approach. Because there is NO REASON to buy these the way we do.  If you can buy the bad option, I want to show you that you can afford to make the better choice for the earth (and often yourself).

Every dollar we spend and every item we buy is a statement to companies about what we are willing to tolerate and what kind of world we want. This may seem overdramatic, but it's absolutely true, and the things we buy often send even stronger messages than what we buy that one time for a baby shower or a new car. If we want to make the world a better place than how we got it and be good stewards of the beautiful place God gave us, our regular choices are the first and best place to make those important little changes!

Some of the most important things anyone and everyone can buy a greener version of are the things we buy at our grocery store weekly- paper goods, trash bags, food, and water. Some of these have pretty easy (and surprisingly affordable when bought in bulk) options to make more Earth-friendly choices that send a clear message to companies- use more post-consumer recycled product! Stop making so much plastic packaging! Here is a list of a few things you can trade out:

I do have affiliate links with Amazon and Etsy, but I HIGHLY recommend that you see what options are available local to you. Even shopping at a local Costco helps keep your neighbors employed. 

1. Paper Towels

 We all use them to clean up spills or our kitchen after cooking, but if everyone who read this switched to post-consumer paper, we could save THOUSANDS of trees. And this question will come up a lot, but do you really think killing a tree is worth wiping up that spill? Also, this is one where the reviews remain very positive for the recycled versions.

To Compare: A 6 Pack of Bounty Paper Towels at our Safeway is 11.59 (just under 2 dollars a roll)

Our Pick: Seventh Generation Unbleached Paper Towels- 4 packs of 6 rolls= 24 rolls- 41.76 (1.74 a roll- CHEAPER than buying rolls in smaller numbers at the grocery store).

Seventh Generation White Recycled Paper Towels- 24 rolls- 37.96 (1.58 per roll)

Marcal Small Steps Recycled Paper- Pack of 12 rolls- 28.99 (2.41 a roll)

Boardwalk Recycled Paper Towels (these are the kind you get at restaurants and come on ginormous 800 ft rolls)- 6 rolls- is 35.20 or 5.86 for every 800 foot roll.

And if you want to go big: 

The biggest step you can take is to use reusable clothes, like washclothes or unpaper towels for most, if not all, of your clean up. The fewer rolls of paper towels you use a year, the better.

Bamboo Paper Towels- They also have lots of paper towel substitutes available if you want a more dramatic change. This bamboo towel set is supposed to last 6 months.

Unpaper towels- You can get washclothes that even roll up like paper towels and snap together. Or you can get big packs like these ones, which can help your kitchen. We just got these for Christmas, and I actually like them more than I thought I would. It's easier to change the habit then you would think.

from Clear Sky Home

2. Napkins

 Same story! We use them daily to wipe the schmutz off our face, but is this (admittedly noble) mission worth the life of a tree? We stopped using napkins when we were feeding our baby, because the job was just epically large. But once we switched, and saw it made no difference in our lives to throw the napkins in with our other laundry, we gave up paper napkins almost completely.

To Compare: Vanity Fair Napkins are about 5 dollars for a 300 count pack (and straight to the Koch Brothers Super PACs no less). Bounty is about 8 dollars for 400. So about 2 cents a piece on either.

Our Pick- Green Forest generally has great reviews for their products. They have a bulk set of 3000 napkins (so a lifetime supply or great for businesses, schools, etc.) for 45.48 (about 2 cents a napkin).

We went with Seventh Generation (though they were bought by Unilever last year, so I am keeping my eye on them). Their 2 packs of 500 (a thousand napkins) made 90% + post-consumer materials is 15.57 (or about 3 cents a napkin). I think if we buy a pack this big, we can basically be set for life. I also see a single pack of 500 for 7.45 which is slightly cheaper, but you have to pay for shipping. They also have white ones for 5.39 for 250 napkins.

Natural Value Napkins (100% recycled/ 80% post-consumer)- 200 Count napkins- 6.37 (3 cents a napkin.

Marcal 100% Recycled Napkins- 400 for 10.69 (about 3 cents a napkin). They are also made in the US and have great reviews. Why buy mainstream brands? They also have a 2400 set for 32.86, which is a steal and basically sets you up for life if you have the room.

And if you want to go big: 

Cloth napkins are the way to go. In our house, we use them for all our meals and only get paper out for big parties. It's so easy, adds nothing to your laundry, and can actually be really pretty. If you just switch cloth out for simple nights at home and buy recycled for the rest of the time, that makes a HUGE impact! Also, if you get a couple of sets, you could do fun seasonal ones to add to holiday decor.

You can get simple napkins (mostly made in India) from Aunt Martha's on Amazon. Or you can get amazing, American-made napkins off Etsy, with the added bonus that basically no matter what you pick, I will be jealous of you. My three favorite Etsy stores for cloth napkins are
:

from Oh Little Rabbit

Oh Little Rabbit- We have two sets from here, both of which still look great. I might recommend darker solid colors for people with little ones, but these have style.

from JAQ Studio

JAQStudio- There are so many adorable patterns here, and I think they would add a little bit of style to any spread on top of avoiding the waste of paper towels. Totally adorable.

from ClearSkyHome

Clear Sky Home- This store also boasts tons of cool patterns, and these ones feel a little more whimsical and grown-up? Strange combination, but true. Plus, they organize the designs by color, so you can find what best matches your style.

3. Tissues

 Now, I don't know about you, but I don't find boogers all that precious. This is a perfect place to replace brand new paper products with something recycled. And in recent years, companies using recycled products have stepped up their game, which is great for when you have a hardcore cold, not just the sniffles.

To Compare: I hate to turn against Kleenex, because I have dreams of designing their boxes, but come on! They can start putting that magic nose lotion in some post-consumer paper! The prices vary quite a bit (at Target I saw a 4 pack of boxes for 6 dollars), but they mostly average around this set- 4 boxes of 50 tissues for 11.49 (about 5 cents a tissue! Pretty steep).

Our Pick: Green Forest Facial Tissues- 24 boxes of 175 (about 1 cent a tissue). Not only is this way cheaper, they also have great reviews for being soft (my favorite quote "I am not a major hippy, but if I could do something good for the environment, why not?") Preach it!

Marcal Fluff Out Facial Tissue- 30 100 count boxes-24.99 (not great reviews, but really cost effective if you have a less sensitive nose.

Seventh Generation- Just to compare, their single box of 175 tissues is 2.84. In case you don't have the room to buy in bulk, there are still eco-friendly options for you!

Green2 Tree Free Facial Tissues- 30 boxes of 90 tissues is 48.71 (So 1.62 a box and a little under 2 cents a tissue). This isn't recycled paper, it doesn't use tree product at all. It is made in the US, owned by women, and a percentage of the proceeds go to replanting trees. So pretty awesome. We bought these in bulk for 2017, and we still have 5 boxes to get us started in 2018.

Kimberly Clark Surpass Recycled Tissues- Kimberly Clark manufactures Kleenex and most of the other brands you use, but this product is 100% post-consumer product. 36 boxes of 110 tissues is 59.24.

Natural Value- 100% recycled/ 80% post-consumer product. Made in the US. 30 tissue boxes with 100 tissues- 45.90 (so about 2 cents a tissue).

And if you want to go big: 

I don't know anyone who uses a hanky, but you could be that person. And get a monocle? Most of the ones on Etsy are embroidered keepsakes, but I think you could get plain ones easily enough. If you want to be green, lazy, and just a little bit gross, you could also use your sleeve (I kid!).

from youtube.com

4. Toilet Paper

 Ok, this issue is slightly more complex than the others, so you might read up a little before you make your choice as a family. It also has made the most progress out there since I started writing about this in 2015- so the options are good.

But the first thing you have to know is that your toilet paper may seem like the most banal decision in the world, but traditional toilet paper is reponsible for 15 million trees coming down every year- almost 15% of deforestation. It's not ok, and it honestly makes no sense.

So make a change! But an informed one. Recycled paper has small amounts of BPA because of magazine paper which gets that glossy finish from plastic. Scientists aren't too crazy about this, and they have been pushing back on BPA in things people eat out of for quite a while, because it can mess up your digestive system. They are worried that too much recycled toliet paper might be putting a little BPA near the exit as well (I might also point out that normal roll you use is covered in bleach and other chemicals, so it's not exactly all natural either). So you might think twice, or only use recycled part of the time.  It's something to think about for sure, but we are using it now, though we will probably switch.

The other great option is bamboo, which is much more sustainable than regular paper and safer than recycled, and you will be surprised how affordable it can be when bought in bulk. Seriously, think about it.

To Compare: The Boy hates the Charmin bears. Hates them. Worst, most condescending, and weirdest ads of all time. So let's start there. Charmin Ultra Strong comes in a pack of 9 for 16.95, so that is about 1.88 a roll.

Our Pick: Tushy toilet paper is made in America out of bamboo using eco-friendly practices. You would think it would be the most expensive, but it is 33 dollars for 36 rolls of toilet paper, so if you buy it in bulk it is under a dollar a roll. Ridiculously great. Thank me later.

The other pretty awesome new company is Who Gives a Crap that has recycled (48 for 48, so a dollar a roll) and bamboo (56 for 48 , so 1.16 a roll) toilet paper options. Equally cool, they donate half of their proceeds to building toilets around the world (did you know 2.3 BILLION people don't have access to a toilet?). So much awesomeness for wiping your butt!

Last year, we used Seventh Generation, and we bought 60 rolls for about 68 dollars (about 1.14 a roll). It serves its purpose and we generally like it. It also comes in all recyclable packaging

Marcal Small Steps- 40 rolls, 1000 sheets each, is 50.66, so about 1.20 a roll.

Green 2 Tree Free- This company is pretty awesome, but the product is a little more fancy. It is made out of bamboo and sugar cane bi-products, both of which are quick-growing and sustainable, and you don't have to worry about BPA at all. If you buy in bulk (96 rolls at 114 dollars, so basically all you need forever, right?), you can get it for 1.16 a roll, which is even cheaper than the other options. Also has great reviews and comes in recyclable, plastic-free packaging.

And if you want to go big: 

They have a thing out there called the family cloth, which is basically cloth wipes rather than paper. I actually think the title makes it sound grosser, and for us, this lands past our limit. We are going with recycled toilet paper for now, but respect to you and yours if you figure out how to make the family cloth work. Or just do the Tree Free toilet paper!

5. Paper Plates

 Paper plates have so many uses, and they can make life so much easier.  No one can deny, a big meal with no dishes is basically the bomb. If you are going on a picnic, or camping, you don't necessarily want to take your dish set with you. That being said, they are another one time use paper product that sucks down trees and then gets thrown away immediately. We can do better and our picnics can do better!

To Compare: Dixie plates are made in the USA, but there are fresh tree product coated in plastic- not great (plus, once again owned by the Koch Brothers)! They are also super cheap- 220 plates cost 17.99 (or about 7 cents a plate). Still, let's see how we can do.

Our Pick: When I have bought paper plates, it honestly has mostly been for art projects, so we have a strange assortment of Chinet bowls and plates from that. Chinet's eco option is Made in the USA, made out of recycled materials, and is fully compostable. So like 1000 times better for the Earth than those Dixie or Vanity Fair plates. A Value Pack of 32 costs about 5 dollars, so it is about 15 cents a plate.

Earth's Natural- Compostable plates made out of sugar cane instead of trees (but they are made in China). Great option if you want to go tree-free! 9.24 for 50, so about 18 cents a plate.

Stalkmarket- If you are looking for a lot of paper plates, Stalkmarket has a similar product- 420 plates for about 11 cents a plate. Totally compostable, able to handle hot, cold, and the microwave. It looks like you can even get it open box!

And if you want to go big: 

Go buy some plates from Goodwill! Corelle is particularly great for this. You would still have to clean them, but it might be perfect to use for a huge party and then just donate back. Or have a supply of plates for special occasions!

Preserve is one of my favorite brands, because it makes light and easy picnic-ware that is awesomely eco-friendly. The plates (and cups and silverware) are made of 100% post consumer plastic and are 100% recyclable. And if you decide you are done with them, you can mail them back to the company, and they will recycle them for you. The plates are 8 for 8.76, so about a dollar a plate, but you would only have to use them a couple of times a summer before  you recouped the cost. This won't solve every paper plate problem, but the fewer one time uses you have, the better for our world.

So Get to It! 

It is so easy and affordable to switch these common purchases to tree-saving, eco-friendly options by buying in bulk  and leaving food to the grocery store.

I hope I have shown you that switching out some of these common items is totally doable, affordable, and worth it! I know when I started this, it felt overwhelming, but my goal is to share my research with you, so you can start treating recycled and recyclable materials as real options!

 I want to leave the world a better place than when I got here, and I know you do too, and seemingly little decisions like these, when made by lots of us, can make a huge difference!



Want to make your home greener? No matter the size or location, you can limit your waste and make your house have a more positive impact on the environment. Check out the Green Home Page for thousands of ideas on how to do it. 

from Dinosaur Circus

Hey, remember the good old days of tupperware parties, where ladies gathered for crazy times and leftover storage? Yeah, me either, though I do know of other lady shindigs where you can buy other stuff which I will not make fun of, because friendship. But tupperware started it all, ingeniously pairing love and loyalty with shopping.

Anyhoo, in it's heyday, tupperware was supposedly interesting enough to warrant its own get togethers. Tupperware is less popular now, but plastic food storage is still unavoidable in most kitchens. All adults have to grapple with the mysteries of why the tubs and lids never seem to match. It's a rite of passage to have a bunch of mismatched plastic tubs and lids.

But here is the thing about tupperware. It's plastic. And like most plastic, it isn't particularly food safe (even when it says it is) and it will add to the epic pile of plastic that is taking over our earth. There is over a ton of plastic for every living human being on Earth, and less than 10% is ever recycled. More and more bad news comes out about plastic, and we don't want to add to the giant hoard of plastic cluttering our world everyday. Plastic is a blight on our world and horrible for us, so why do we wrap our food in it?

If you decide you are done with your plastic food storage- give it away to someone who will use it. If you just want to phase it out, be sure to keep using and replace as it is done. Are there ways to reuse it that don't involve food like craft or tool storage?  Just tossing plastic in the trash is no solution either, but as you replace it you can do so with better options.

Lucky for all of us, better options exist for our families and our earth.

1. Reuse Containers You are Already Bringing Home

If you are going to buy food in packaging, make that packaging work for you! If it is good enough for your yogurt or cream cheese, it's good enough for your leftovers too. About 60% of our leftovers and freezer meals go into old yogurt containers. It helps assuage my guilt to get a few more uses out of one time plastic packaging. They are all the same size (no lid drama). Obviously, this is not a permanent solution, and you have to decide for yourself how many runs through the dishwasher feel safe. Even foodsafe plastic does start leeching chemicals after a while. So those yogurt containers need a new use after a while, but they can be good for food at first.

Also! If you start buying more of your groceries in glass (pasta sauce is a great example), you can reuse those containers forever. Worth remembering when you are choosing in the store!

Ball Jars on Amazon

2. Mason Jars

Glass jars are cheap, useful, and a perfect longterm investment. You don't have to keep buying them over and over again, they have so many uses (you can also use them for coffee or water bottles with a silicon lid), and you can use them to store leftovers and freezer food. The classic Ball Jar comes in so many shapes and sizes (even colors) that you can find what works for you. Often for about a dollar a jar. It really makes you wonder how these perfect jars got upstaged by Tupperware (darn parties).

Anchor Hocking from Amazon

3. Anchor Hocking

The two big glass makers in the US have growing lines of food storage/ leftover/ mean planning containers. Anchor Hocking has two lines, and more consistent sizes we like a little better. Glass is always a safer and healthier choice (though these still have plastic lids), and their True Seal line is especially awesome for food storage. So many of the sizes you actually want.

Pyrex on Amazon

4. Pyrex

Pyrex also has Tupperware alternatives that are safer, cleaner, and made in America. I feel like they are less on point for this market, because they have some good variety sets, but fewer that are just the right size for freezer meals. Did you know that the Kardashians refuse to put their food in plastic? I didn't, some lady told me. But that means glass food storage is fancy and instagram-worthy, and clearly plastic makes you look like a non-famous peon.

Also, check your local thrift shops for old Pyrex containers. They last forever (as long as you aren't clumsy), so you can find tons of good stuff secondhand.

5. Preserve and Replay

Want something lighter that can stand up to kids (or just you- I know I break as much as anyone)? Preserve has brightly colored leftover containers and our family functions on our Replay snack containers.

6. Stainless Steel

This isn't as much of a thing in our house, but it might be perfect for yours. I can't find any sets that are made in America, but I did find some sets that might be what lasts for you.


Other simple switches? Cut out some plastic wrap by using beeswax wrap. Cut out ziplocks with reusable sandwich bags. Plastic is a blight on our waters, our world, and our health. So why wrap your food in it? Especially when so many other options are out there! If you want more shopping ideas and inspiration for getting plastic OUT of your kitchens, check out the Giant List of Shopping Lists.

Want to make your home greener? No matter the size or location, you can limit your waste and make your house have a more positive impact on the environment. Check out the Green Home Page for thousands of ideas on how to do it.

This week our family participated in the Week without Plastic. I hope this is an event that catches on, because plastic is causing WAY more problems than it is solving-

-Plastic is poisoning us. It has been proven to shift hormones and cause cancers.
-Plastic is made from fossil fuels. Had enough of Big Oil? Then you have to cut plastic too.
- Plastic is leeching chemicals into our food and water through packaging. It is also entering our food chain because it is eaten by animals.
-Plastic is overwhelming our land and water. By 2050, there will be more plastic in the water than fish.

Holy crap, plastic is the worst. It's like we are all living our lives with our worst enemy lingering right behind us all the time. But just because we want plastic out of our life doesn't mean it is easy. We made it the whole week, but not without making plenty of mistakes.

We started off on a controversial foot- you can read about the Big Plastic Fight of 2017 here.

On Tuesday, we managed a whole trip out of the house and lunch with only the little plastic stickers on the avocados we bought (why aren't these compostable?). Then, we ordered pizza for dinner on the way to a meeting (it was a busy week). We thought it was really the only take out or delivery we could get without plastic. We felt pretty proud of ourselves. But, guess what. It had one of those cursed plastic tables on the inside of the box.

Why?!?!?!? Damn you tiny pizza table!

 Here's the thing. That pizza table is just a symbol- I bet more plastic was used around that pizza on its way to us. Restaurants use plastics behind the scenes too, so we probably shouldn't eat out at all this week. This is freaking hard. Plastic, has wittled its way into every aspect of modern American life, and you realize just how hard it is to get around when you commit to avoiding it.

And it is absolutely worth avoiding. You have to. It's toxicity is fatal to our health and our world. Plastic leeches toxic chemicals into our food and drink, and studies continue to find that it messes with our hormones. It also is deadly for animals, especially sea animals who mistake it for food. Lastly, it is poisoning our water, filling up our oceans.

There is a lot of debate in our house about whether using something up in plastic is on the same scale as buying something new in plastic.  I am going with using what we already have is fine in most cases, but I am agonizing over things like shampoo and conditioner bottles. I use Avalon Organcs, and they will accept the plastic bottles back once you are done, but that is still plastic in the mix.

So do shampoo bars? I cannot be one of those people that doesn't wash their hair. My hair will revolt against me.

The Week Without Plastic really made us think- these are the things we failed with-

Sunday
Andouille Sausage
Shrimp

Tuesday
Avocado stickers
Pizza Table
One Graduation Gift

Thursday
Scone (ack! No excuse. Every week my son and I have "scone time" on our way home from pre-school. I had planned to make my own scones, but I never got there)

Friday
The Boy ordered a couple of clothing items that came this week (a shirt and socks). They came wrapped in plastic.

Today, we will see. I don't think we have much plan to leave the house, and honestly that is the trick. I now think the best way to avoid buying plastic is to just avoid shopping period. You have to get groceries, and a lot of the trouble starts there, but if we are home all day, we can avoid more.

Our Best Victories

Instead of buying a little plastic bag of cuties, we bought clementines individually, dropped into a reusable produce bag. Those were good. We tried it again later and accidentally picked tangerines with seeds. Oops!

We bought bread in paper bags. This is motivating me to write bread companies and pasta companies that sell their product with a little plastic window. So dumb!

We found pasta in the bulk section at a local store. Want to go back and see if they sell bran like that as well, because that is what The Boy eats for cereal.

We buy all our paper goods in bulk, so most of the paper products come wrapped in paper instead of plastic. Bonus- the paper is recycled, so we are saving trees too.

Farmer's markets are awesome for avoiding those little plastic stickers. Not as great for getting plastic-free meat.


So going forward, I am hopeful we can keep up this momentum, and keep freeing ourselves from nasty plastic. We just keep pushing for more local and less plastic groceries.

Have you ever tried giving up plastic? How did it go? What was the hardest to get out of your life and what tricks did you find for avoiding plastic packaging?

1. Naked Food is Happy Food

In most produce aisles, there are bags of salad. A few feet away, there is lettuce, just sitting, not wrapped in plastic. Often, that head of lettuce (or spinach or kale) is cheaper. So why do we do it? We don't want to have to rinse? How much time does it actually save?

So let's just not anymore. Time to buy our spinach naked, peeps.

The less packaging your food has, the better it is for you and the environment. Want to be healthier? Want a cleaner world? Want to make less waste? Stop supporting Big Oil? It all comes down to buying things with less packaging.

Plastic packaging is a major culprit in the pollution of our Earth and our bodies. More and more studies tell us that plastic leeches chemicals into food, including BPA, which definitely messes with our hormones and could be a major cause of endocrine problems and even cancer. That same plastic doesn't break down, so after it leeches into our food, it heads to our landfills or our water, and it will be there for centuries after we are gone, slowly leeching more of its nastiness into the Earth.

So you can buy things with less packaging. You can check out the bulk section in your store (or try a store that has one). You can buy your meat from the counter and skip the piece of styrofoam that comes with the pre-packaged ones.

2. Shop the Outside Edge of the Store

Nutritionists set this simple rule to help people eat healthier; shop around the outside edge of your grocery store. In most cases, this is where the fresh produce, meats, and dairy live. The food that will go bad, some of which needs refrigeration, is what is actually good for you. Things that live in those center aisles are general packaged to last and have little nutritional value (think about it- cookies, chips, pop, freezer food all live in the center of the store). Want to eat healthier but don't want to buy all in for a diet? Limit the stuff you buy from the center and you will be slimmed down in no time.

Guess what? What is good for you (not cheap and easy... GOOD) is also good for the Earth! All of those super packaged and unhealthy foods create a ton of waste- A pack of Oreos has two pieces of plastic packaging. Cereal, pop tarts, and other boxed foods still have plastic inside. More on the awfulness of all that packaging later, but eating healthy foods that will go bad will do your body and the earth all kinds of good.

So, why not just shop the outside edge? I figure our bakery is still there too, so this is really all just a ploy to eat more doughnuts and cake. As is everything I do.

3. Just Buy Less Meat

We should all eat more plants. We all know it will make us healthier, we have been hearing it since we were kids ("eat your broccoli!"), but we don't necessarily actually do it. Here's another reason to bite the bullet (or the broccoli).

Meat production causes exponentially more waste than other foods. Want to save trees? Check out this chart.



Beef is especially bad, using more water and energy than most other proteins combined. You can save more water by cutting your beef intake by half than you will by cutting showers shorter. You can use fewer fossil fuels without shortening your commute. Beef is also infamously bad for your heart, and Americans have a huge problem with heart disease. The cause is obvious and the change is important. Just by making beef less of a staple in your diet, you can get major environmental and healthful bang for your buck.

If you want to become a vegetarian, that's awesome, go you! We are not vegetarians. We will never be vegetarians, or I am not sure The Boy would stay with me.  You don't have to give up everything to give up something (and make a big impact!). If you eat beef a few times a week, switch turkey in for most of those meals and turn beef into a once a week meal. Decide to make it a treat for eating out and special occasions. Eat it in smaller portions. Commit to more vegetarian meals (hello, Meatless Mondays or veggie lunches). Do what works for you, but start at the grocery store.

4. Let your Produce Mingle

Sometime, many years ago, some dastardly fiend convinced us that all of our produce needed their own little plastic bags.

Why?

 Why do we need these? What are we protecting our produce from? We are going to wash it all anyway!

Why not just leave your reusable bag open and put them all in there. Want certain things (like peppers) to get their own space? You would only need a few reusable produce bags. Does it take a minute longer at checkout? Yes. But a minute. And that minute is nothing compared to the hundreds of years that plastic bag will sit in a landfill.

5. Learn to Love the Local (and Seasonal)

The trick to this is learning where you live- what are people making nearby? What can be grown in your area each season?

Best place to start? Your locally-owned grocery stores. They will often carry more local products, ship things from shorter distances, and it keeps money in your community! Yes, Walmart is cheaper. Walmart is also terrible for your community, for its workers, and for the environment. Even if you don't buy everything from local grocers, you can start planning menus around it or stock your pantry with local items. I guarantee you don't know all of the great stuff being made or grown nearby.

Another good option? Farmers markets. As more organic and local diets gain popularity, you can find more farmers markets popping up all over the country. Pick one as part of your regular routine or just go explore one and see what is out there.

We go to a farmer's market every other Saturday or so. We get lots of our produce, the world's best bacon, and we usually get something delicious and fresh for lunch. I love it.

The last key? Know what is growable in your area in every season. Keeping food that aren't in season fresh or shipping them from far distances uses way more energy. Instead, check out seasonal calendars like this one  (just search for "seasonal calendar + your home state). Some seasons are easier than others, especially depending on what region you live in, but the more you can do this, the better food you will eat and the more good you will do.

6. Buy in Bulk

Lots of what we buy at the grocery store, from toilet paper to produce to meat to toothpaste to potato chips could be bought in bulk to cut way down on packaging. If you buy an 8 pack of toilet paper in a grocery store, they usually come wrapped in plastic. By the time you have bought as many as come in these bulk packs, wrapped in paper, from Seventh Generation, you have added so much plastic to a landfill.

Maybe go check out a Costco or another local bulk store. Even Amazon has more ethical options that you can buy in bulk.The money you save is great. You can read more about what you can save and find in my Greening the Basics posts. The packaging you cut down on is also awesome. If you have the room, it just makes sense.

7. Check the Labels

Is it organic or fair-trade?

Where was it made? Look for "manufactured by"- "manufactured for" probably means they don't want to tell you where they made it. Notice this can of frosting was "distributed by" a company in Ohio, but they avoid saying where it is made. That is a bad sign. Would you eat something left on your doorstep if you didn't know where it came from? So why are you paying money for something like that?

How many ingredients does it have? More ingredients, in most cases, means more chemicals. We looked at frosting before. Frosting made at home has 4 ingredients. The frosting in those cans has 20+.

At first, checking the labels seems like an annoying slow down of an already tedious chore. Some of us might check for nutritional information, but hardly anyone checks for the ethics of its making. But it is so worth it, and once you find products that are not so sketchy, you start to appreciate this little effort.

8. Use your Grocery Store as a Recycling Resource

Did you know about plastic film recycling? Lots of the plastic packaging you get at grocery stores can actually be recycled too! Plastic film is the plastic wrapping used on your bread bag and around paper towels. You can save so much plastic, and it costs you nothing! I didn't know about this until a friend told me, and it has cut down the waste in our household so much.

Want to see which grocery stores near you accept plastic film recycling? Check out this website.

9. Bring Your Own Grocery Bags

We believe here at this blog that any step is a good step, and that the eco-friendly step that makes sense for one person might not be the one that you can really sustain. Any effort you are making is great, and continuing to make little changes is even better.

If you haven't switched over to reusable bags yet, let me suggest that is the next step you take. Here is a Ten Step Plan to break your single use plastic bag habit forever, because at this point, we all know it is wrong. Don't keep doing it just because it's easier or because your local government hasn't banned it yet (the plastic bag lobby exists and it is ruthless). You know it is wrong. So stop.

10. Use What You Buy

Food waste is one of the defining tragedies of our (and our parents') generation. In an average American household, 400 dollars of food is just thrown away per person per year. We waste so much that what we throw away per year could feed us for another month and a half. Think of how many people out there need food, and we throw things away like they are nothing.

We have to do better at buying the right amount and using what we buy. An empty (or nearly empty) fridge come grocery day should be the goal.

I know this is one I am continually working on. I have so much trouble getting myself to finish off leftovers or eat the good half of an older piece of fruit. It just never feels like much fun to eat. But I am working on it, because it is so important.


The coolest thing about this is that we all grocery shop so much that we can multiply even the smallest good decisions into something huge. All we have to do is reset our habits. It's like putting one dollar in a jar once a week- at first, it won't feel like much. But a year in, you have fifty bucks! 10 years in, 500! Little changes do add up and if we all choose to keep doing better, we can change the world from our grocery stores!

How do you make your grocery shopping more eco-friendly?

I want to keep highlighting amazing makers in the US, and I feel like my Etsy links can get caught in the more mainstream shuffle. So starting a series to focus on the greatest stuff we have found. 

from TheHalfPintPress

This month has been all about being more environmentally conscious when we grocery shop. Who wants to guess how many times I have mentioned reusable bags? It has been a lot.

Looking for your reusable soulmate? Here's where to find it.

Want to give a gentle nudge to your loved ones? I don't know anything about that. I only boss aggressively. But these would make great gift wrapping they can reuse.

Get ready to be wowed by bags,

WAAMIndustries (Minnesota) makes market bags and lunch bags out of waxed canvas. These look like the kind of bags that will last you for years, and the store has literally perfect reviews. Might be a cool way to wrap gifts as well! They say once you have one of these bags, you won't leave home without them. I believe it.

Love for Earth (Virginia) makes all sorts of produce bags in lots of colors. My basic theory is that produce bags are mostly unnecessary, but if you do need some, these will save thousands of those little plastic bags from heading to a landfill. I also like these ones from Generation Me.


Yay for Friends (California) sells a tote that I love, but I bet you can find one that fits you perfectly on this site. There are so many tote bags on Etsy, from encouragement to shop local to this gem. I love this one from Yield Design Co, but you have to be really fancy to put your groceries in there.


HASOMbags (Texas) makes little produce bags out of interesting upcycled fabric. Such a genius use for fabrics people may otherwise not want anymore (I mean really, who still uses lace curtains? Grandmas have even moved on). If you are thinking about wrapping a gift in something zero waste, instead of paper, this would be cool.


Posh Patterns (Wisconsin) and may other stores offer crochet patterns for grocery bags so you can make your own, you handy person!

Want even more eco-friendly and local shopping inspiration? Check out my Giant List of Ethical and Eco-Friendly Shopping Lists. 

Want to make your home greener? No matter the size or location, you can limit your waste and make your house have a more positive impact on the environment. Check out the Green Home Page for thousands of ideas on how to do it.

Recently, someone I love dearly told me "I kind of wish they would ban plastic bags so I would stop using them."

Wait, what? I don't remember how I replied, but this comment has haunted and challenged me ever since. My first instinct is to say something smug like "I wish they would ban hammers so I would stop hitting myself in the head," but that isn't useful and actually her thought was ballsy and honest and has lots to teach me.

Because the truth of the matter is we all do things we know are bad for us. Sometimes we do them because they are easier. Sometimes we do them without thinking. Sometimes we do them out of habit. Sometimes we do them because they are made of chocolate and sugar and fat. So even if this particular issue is one that matters enough to me that I would change either way, it is worth it to know that not everyone feels that way. Fighting the current of our own bad habits is hard enough, but fighting the momentum of societal expectations on top of that is even harder.

The scariest part of this is that we have a government who is going to spend the next four years fighting against common sense changes like plastic bag bans. It already happened in Michigan, and we aren't likely to see much different for a while, because they have made it clear that profits and lobbies take precedence over our stewardship over this land. If you want to do the right thing, you can't wait for an invitation. So what do you do?

First, we have to decide it is worth it, and it so is. 

Plastic bags are absolutely horrible for the environment. They have a low rate of being recycled, and plastic waste like these bags are dumped daily into our water and our land.
-By 2050, there will be more plastic than the water than fish, leaving clean water that much harder to come by and poisoning our children with petrochemicals.
-On a smaller, more immediate scale, plastic bags looks just like jellyfish when floating in the water, and so they are ingested at even higher rates than a lot of the other plastic being dumped into the water. Just this week, a dead whale was found with 30 plastic bags in his stomach. 30.

And not to be dark, but one of those could have carried your groceries. Is it alright, is it good stewardship, to kill another living being, created by God, for the sake of a little bit of convenience?  You can say you aren't an environmentalist and it doesn't matter much to you, but the effects are wide-reaching and they will effect your family in your lifetime if things don't change.

Dear friends, it is time to just say No. 

It isn't ok. It is extremely destructive for the least possible convenience. The bare minimum requirement of us as human beings is to try our best, and this is such a simple place to turn negative momentum into a positive action. You can do this,

That said, it won't always be easy. We are pretty hardcore about our reusable bags, but I still forget them ALL the time. Thank goodness there isn't a camera following me around, or they would have seen so many awkward walks through parking lots with too many things balanced in my arms. And there is that terrible moment, mid-shop, where you debate whether to go back to your car or just buy the damn bag.

So, just because we should be doing it doesn't mean implementing the change is always easy. Breaking the habit takes mission, and also some practical help.

Practical Steps to Kick a Plastic Bag Habit

1. Count Your Bags

The first step, my friends, is recognizing the problem. When you bring groceries home this week, count how many bags you used. Then multiple it by your shopping trips all year. That, my friends, is a lot of bags. Do you keep those bags in a drawer somewhere? Try counting them. It will make it feel better when you do use that bag, because you will know the iceberg you are chipping into.

2. Buy Reusable Bags

 The first step to really get started is to have reusable bags to use instead. I would say, it takes half to a third as many reusable bags as it takes plastic ones. So if you usually have 6 bags of groceries, you probably only need 2 or 3 bags. On the other hand, it is good to have some back up bags so when you inevitably forget, you have back ups. On the third hand (too much), you will buy more when you even forget your back ups.

If you see them at your regular grocery store, buy at least one there. You have tons of options. but buying one from your grocery store (especially if you don't live somewhere it is the norm) sends them the message that there is a market for this that they should take seriously.

So, let's look at some of my favorite options, but you really can't go too wrong here:

These fabric totes are Made in America, use natural and recycled materials (cotton), and have stellar reviews. I also think they would hold up well after lots of washes. Might be a winner! These Turtlecreek cotton totes are worth checking out too.

You can also find bags, like these, that use recycled water bottles and other plastics as their materials! Double win!

These colorful bags are also recycled and have stellar reviews.

If you want something a little bigger, these ReBagMe bags also come in pretty designs, so they might make great gift wrapping.

I have also seen these fitted, hanging bags floating around. They honestly look like a lot of work to me, and just the kind of thing that doesn't work out, so the reusable bag idea dies. If someone has actually tried them and likes them, let me know!

3. Fall in Love with Said Bags

You know why reusable bags are addictive? Because it takes one trip to bring everything in from the car, not three. Because they hold so much stuff without falling apart. Because they don't give you those big craters in your arms. Just start using them, you will like it.

4. Give your Bags a Real Spot in the Car

Key to success! The bags need a place in your car to go, because when you drive to the grocery store, they are already with you. We take one bag (specifically, a pretty nice one from our church) and fill it with the rest of the bags. That lives in the trunk. Absolute worst case scenario, we can use it if the rest haven't made it back to the car.

That bag of bags is pivotal for reusable success. They need a place that helps set the new routine.

5. And One for the Way Out of the Car

Once you have emptied the bags of groceries, be sure to put them by the door, so you can just take them to the car the next time you go. Do NOT wait until the next time you are headed to the store. That's a fool's game. Just always assume a trip to the grocery store could happen, because you never know when you will need more milk or paper towels.

6. Commit to Buying a Bag when You Forget

Yep, you are going to forget your reusable bag. Don't accept the plastic bag anyway. No more plastic bags, even if you forget your reusables. This is key. 

 You can carry it all in your arms or buy a paper or reusable bag.  If it costs you a little bit of money (even if it is just to buy a paper bag) every time you forget a bag, you will remember a whole lot more often. If you are somewhere where they aren't easily available, be sure to ask. Just voicing that preference could make all the difference.

Create some stakes for yourself. If you end up with a ridiculous number of reusable bags before the end of the year, use them to wrap Christmas gifts. Think of it as committing to no plastic instead of committing to reusable. This is about avoidance, in the best way possible.

7. Reuse or Recycle the Plastic Bags you Already Have

Now, if you have switched over, you may have small hoards of plastic bags left. If you already have a use for them, perfect! You will be able to do that for a while, and you can figure out a substitute when the bags run out. Here are some options-

- If you don't have a regular plastic bag routine, look into your recycling options where you live. The best thing you can do is recycle that plastic once it is already there (though plastic can only be recycled so many times, so anytime you can avoid plastic, do it!)
- Fold a few into plastic bag footballs and stuff them somewhere for when you forget your reusable bags. Last resort bags.
- Use them as garbage bags, so you can buy less plastic that way!
- Offer them to someone else who does use them for garbage bags. Offer them back to the grocery store.
- Do not throw them away. It's time to turn over a new leaf, and that is crazypants.

Addressing those old bags might be a pain, but it is worth it to have a plan and to get them out. If it's slow, that is fine, but that hoard needs to move out of your home.

8. Tomorrow is a New Day

If you mess up and forget, try again the next time. Go home and immediately put those bags back in your car. And try to remember the next time. Rome wasn't built in a day, and if you beat yourself up about it, you make the whole thing miserable. Pat yourself on the back when you remember your bags (or tell me! I would love to pat you on the back), but don't bother chastising yourself when you don't. Just set yourself up to do well the next time.

9. Talk About It

If you live somewhere where reusable bags are still a rarity, you can mention to the people checking you out how wasteful plastic bags are. Enough of these sorts of comments, and they might mention it to a manager. Or they might start thinking about reusable bags themselves. We have to get free of this idea that you have to be crunchy, obsessive, or otherwise offbeat to use reusable bags. You don't have to CARE, you just have to care. Let other people see you trying to do better, because seeing another person figuring things out has power.

from Remarkably Reusable

10. Give up Produce Bags! 

You have finally kicked the plastic bag habit! Huzzah! You are all kinds of awesome. If you want to free your shopping from plastics, stop using produce bags as well! Those little plastic bags feel necessary, but are they?

WHAT EVIL GENIUS CONVINCED US THAT FRUIT CAN'T TOUCH FRUIT?

In some cases, I get it. Jalapeno can get its hot stink all over everything than rubbing up on other fruit or veggies. It's like the creeper dancing up on people at a party, making the whole place stink of awkward.

But most fruits and veggies will leave each other alone, and you will wash them all anyway, so the obvious choice is to just let them mingle. We take one of our reusable bags, and put all of our produce in it. When we hit the register, we just put it all up there on that. Have we gotten weird looks? Hell yes. But a year into doing it, 4-5 produce bags a week for 50 weeks... that's a lot of plastic we have saved from the landfill.

If you do have a pesky jalapeno, you can also get reusable produce bags! I love these ones which are made of upcycled fabric and basically anything from the Love for Earth store. If you check n Etsy, I bet there are some made near you. We have these. They are made in America, they always seem to be the perfect size, and I love them come jalapeno time.

Alright peeps, you can do this. If you don't live somewhere with the ban, make the ban for yourself.



Want to make your home greener? No matter the size or location, you can limit your waste and make your house have a more positive impact on the environment. Check out the Green Home Page for thousands of ideas on how to do it.