Plastic waste harms the environment. Much of it ends up in landfills or the ocean. But we can make small changes at home to reduce plastic use. With some easy swaps and new habits, our households can create less plastic trash.

The Kitchen

Food Storage

Many refrigerator staples come wrapped in plastic. Swap plastic wrap and bags for reusable containers made of glass or stainless steel. Some brands sell products like nuts, granola, pasta, rice, etc. from bulk bins. Bring your own bag or jar instead of using their plastic packaging.

Grocery Shopping

Always keep a set of reusable shopping bags in the car. Foldable canvas totes take up little space. Sturdy insulated bags keep cold or frozen foods cool on the ride home. Cloth-produced bags replace those small plastic fruit and veggie bags. You can find reusable mesh bags for nuts and loose snacks too.

Produce

Fruits and veggies commonly come wrapped in plastic. But many grocery stores now offer loose produce aisles. Shop those sections when you can to avoid excess plastic and Styrofoam. At home, store produce in glass, stainless steel or mesh bags instead of plastic bags in the fridge.

Dish Soap

Standard dish soap bottles are rarely recyclable because of their pumps and mixed materials. Search out simple, recyclable plastic bottles or soap concentrate refills to reduce waste. Some companies sell dish and hand soaps in tablet form too; just add water and the tablet dissolves into liquid soap.

The Bathroom

Personal Care

Plastic bottles pile up quickly in the shower as you go through bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash and more. Replace some with bar versions like shampoo bars, conditioner bars, bar soap, etc. products usually come wrapped in compostable paper or cardboard.

You can also look for personal care items packaged in glass or aluminum. Refillable aluminum bottles are ideal for hand soap pumps. Try switching to plastic-free replacements like bamboo toothbrushes and toothpaste tabletsfrom a brand like Ecofam.

Cleaning Supplies

Look for cleaning and laundry products concentrated into tablet form. Many brands sell dissolvable tablet versions of multi-surface cleaner, bathroom cleaner, dish soap, laundry detergent and more. Simply add one tablet to water in a reusable glass bottle. Refill the empty bottle each time.

Trash Bags

Standard plastic trash bags will always be useful now and then. But you can still cut back usage. Replace small bathroom trash cans with reusable bags, bins or baskets so there is no need for plastic liners. Use compostable bags for food waste disposal. Rinse and reuse plastic bags as temporary trash can liners when possible.

Laundry Room

Detergent

Laundry pods are incredibly wasteful due to all that plastic packaging. Standard liquid detergents come in bulky plastic jugs too. Use concentrated powder detergents sold in simple cardboard boxes. Powders last longer than liquids ounce per ounce.

Throughout the House

Avoid Disposables

It is tempting to use paper plates and plastic cutlery for quick cleanup after meals or parties. But the waste adds up fast. Rely on regular dishware instead. Even your everyday household paper products like paper towel, napkins, tissues, etc., generate waste over time. Use reusable dishtowels, cloth napkins and handkerchiefs whenever it is convenient.

Buy In Bulk

Bulk food bins help reduce plastic waste from individual servings. But think beyond just food. Find stores that sell household goods like laundry detergent, personal care items and cleaning supplies from bulk dispensers.

Conclusion

The goal is not to eliminate plastics overnight. Make small swaps at your own pace. Every piece of avoided plastic keeps waste out of ecosystems and landfills. Tiny changes make a collective difference to better the environment.