That’s why I’m suggesting that you ask for a ceramic mug or a reusable cup when you dine in at a fast food restaurant.

I don’t go to a lot of fast food restaurants these days. The place I go most often is Panera Bread (do people even say the “bread” part anymore?).

I think the staff at our local Panera have probably gotten to know my husband and I as a people that make several “vegan alterations” to the grain bowls (if they find it annoying, they don’t let on).

We’re also the ones that always ask for a ceramic mug when we dine in, and bring our own to go coffee cups when we’re in a hurry.

From my observations at the local Panera, 50% of the people that go into the restaurant choose to dine in. The place is always packed, and few people (less than I’d expect) are there for to-go orders.

I love that there are always so many people there. Few are on their computers; it’s mostly friends, family, and co-workers enjoy each other’s company.

What I don’t love about all that dining in at Panera? All the throw away cups and straws.

If you dine in at Panera, your food comes on real, reusable plates, and with metal utensils. High-five to the chain for that.

It’s in their beverage service that they fall short of being eco-friendly. If you order a drink—hot or cold—at Panera, the staff will automatically give you a disposable cup for you to fill up at one of the drink stations.

Ordering a coffee? You will receive a paper cup, and there are plastic lids, cardboard cup holders, and wooden stirrers at the coffee station.

When you order any of their many cold drink options, you get a disposable plastic cup, with a plastic lid, and the option of plastic straws available at the drink station.

It’s okay to use your homework as a plate. We totally get it. pic.twitter.com/LaYvF03Mwz

— Panera Bread (@panerabread) September 17, 2018

SINGLE USE PLASTIC OVERLOAD

The last time I was in Panera, I went to wash my hands before we ate. I walked to the bathroom and looked around at the other 15 or so tables, all filled with folks dining in.

Practically every single person in the restaurant had a plastic cup, with a plastic lid and plastic straw. I had a real moment right then, freaking out about how many people were being “forced” into using such wasteful items.

I say “forced” because the truth is: Panera has a bunch of ceramic cups available for use!

Asking for a real cup at Panera—or anywhere, really—is so easy, yet I hardly ever see anyone do it.

The ceramic mugs at our Panera are literally right under the counter at the register; the cashier doesn’t even have to move their feet in order to reach them.

And the staff are always happy to give us a real mug when we ask. So I can’t help wondering why they don’t suggest them/offer them to customers to begin with.

Now, you might be thinking to yourself, “Well at least they’re giving out paper cups for the coffee; those can be recycled.”

But I’ve looked around Panera, and there are no recycling bins for customers to use.

When it’s time to clean up after yourself and leave, there’s a place for your empty dishes, and a place for trash. All of those potentially recyclable paper cups and cardboard cup holders end up going in the trash, which ends up going to the local landfill.

This is true for most fast food restaurants and cafés. It’s rare to see a recycle bin in a restaurant where you clean up after yourself.

IT’S NOT JUST PANERA

I’m not singling out Panera because I think they’re the worst: I actually think they do a decent job in terms of using reusable items for dining in (I’ve also ordered takeout and delivery from them and they do use some recyclable food containers.)

If I had my way, more restaurants and cafes would follow Panera’s lead.

When I was in New York last month, I went with friends to a healthy “fast food” place. It’s the kind of place where you order an a-la-cart type meal at the counter, then dine in or take out.

I had forgotten to bring a reusable utensil option with me, so I asked the cashier if they had any metal utensils. She told me the only options were the plastic forks and knives.

Seeing how discouraged I was, one of my friends tried to reassure me that it was okay, because the utensils were biodegradable plastic.

She meant well, but I also knew that trendy biodegradable plastic (called bioplastic) doesn’t always break down completely or quickly, and emits harmful greenhouse gases when it does.

PRO TIP At this same restaurant, ALL of the drink options were in plastic bottles. Instead of buying one, I whipped out my reusable stainless steel water bottle and ask a guy behind the counter to fill it up from the tap. He did so happily.

THE TAKEAWAY

The takeaway here (pardon the pun), is that whether you’re at Panera or a restaurant or cafe that you’ve never been to, there are ways to avoid using single-use plastic items.

If you forgot your reusable water bottle, ask if they have a reusable cup for you to use (even a reusable hard plastic cup that can be thrown in the dishwasher is a great swap!).

If you didn’t bring a stainless steel utensil that day, ask the staff if they have a real metal fork you can use.

It’s simple actions like this that a) make a difference in the amount of single-use plastic you’re throwing away, and b) tell the people who run restaurants and cafes that you want them to make eco-friendly changes.

The post Eco-Friendly Dining: Asking for a Ceramic Mug at Panera appeared first on Switch From Plastic.

Said more simply: we went to the dump.

The term used to describe your local dump will vary depending on where you live.

For the sake of this article, I’m talking about the place where your trash is taken to after it’s picked up from your house. Or, if you don’t have residential pick-up, the place to where you bring it.

The visit was part of our goal to become more familiar with how our county handles trash and recycling, and what it’s doing to be eco-friendly.

After our tour of the local landfill, I got pretty excited about what I learned, and I posted a video to Facebook with tips for how to schedule a visit to your local landfill, and what to do when you go.

It wasn’t until several days later (and several views of the video), that my sister-in-law texted to say that she and my 11 year old nephew had just watched the video.

She said that, at the end of the video, she told him that they should schedule a visit. His response: “NO WAY!”

And that’s when I realized that I’d jumped the gun. I shouldn’t have posted a video with tips on how to schedule a visit to your local landfill. I should have made a video that explained why you’d WANT to go visit your local landfill in the first place.

So, here we go!

WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT YOUR LOCAL LANDFILL

1. YOU FIND OUT WHERE “AWAY” IS

The most important reason to visit your local landfill is to find the mythical land of “Away”.

As in, “Just throw it away“, “I threw it away“, or, “The trash gets hauled away.”

What we like about throwing stuff away is that we don’t see it anymore, and we don’t have to deal with it again. But the truth about trash is that it never goes “away”, it just goes somewhere else, where SOMEONE has to deal with it.

Going to your local landfill lets you see exactly where all your trash goes when you throw it into a garbage can or trash bag.

If you, or your friends and family, are having trouble with being eco-friendly and using less plastic, I can promise you that you’ll try harder after you see the mountain of trash at your local landfill.

When we watch documentaries or see news reports about plastic in the ocean, we think that this problem is someplace far away. Unfortunately—whether you live near the ocean or not—there’s a trash problem that’s local to you.

BTW “Out” is just another version of “away”, so when you “throw something out”, you’re still just transferring it somewhere else.

2. YOU SEE A LOT OF STUFF THAT ISN’T “TRASH”

It’s been said that Americans only recycle about 30% of recyclable items; tossing the remaining 70% into the “trash” container.

In one quick visit to the local landfill, you’ll see those stats with your own eyes.

In particular, I was astonished to see how many cardboard boxes were at my local dump. Here’s a photo of a recyclable cardboard box that someone took the time to break down, but then put into the trash bin!

Unfortunately, once the cardboard is put into the trash bin and picked up by the trash truck, it’s usually too contaminated (with dirt, grease, and liquids) to be salvaged. The only option the people at the dump have is to treat it like trash.

Like you, I have better ways to spend my time than breaking down cardboard boxes and sorting my recycling. But when I see how many recyclable items end up in the trash, I’m motivated to do it (I usually listen to a podcast while I’m doing it!).

PRO TIP When you have several cardboard boxes to break down for recycling, get the whole family into it! When all members of the household work together to help recycle waste, the process goes more quickly, and everyone feels more committed to being eco-friendly.

3. YOU GET A REFRESHER OF LOCAL RULES & REGULATIONS

I could go on and on about everything that I learned at my local facility; from what happens to the trash, to why we can’t recycle certain items in my neighborhood.

But the reason I’m suggesting that you schedule a visit to your local landfill is because every town does things differently.

My friend Jessica lives in a town in South Carolina, where (for reasons I don’t know) they don’t recycle glass bottles or jars.

In New York City, you can recycle lots of things that my facility here in Florida can’t process, which means those things go in my trash.

My local facility burns trash to produce energy, but their machinery still has a lot of limitations, which means every household needs to pay attention to what it’s putting in trash bins.

You can probably go on your town website to read the rules about your local trash and recycling, but those websites almost always leave you with questions. Visiting the facility, and meeting the staff, gives you the opportunity to ask questions in person.

4. YOU SEE YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK

I never dreamed I’d be blogging about trash, recycling, and visiting a landfill. I also never though I’d be so impressed by how much I learned during my landfill visit.

I had no idea that my local facility is one of only 74 in the United States that burns trash to create energy.

I also didn’t know that yard waste (like leaves and tree branches that people put at the curb in my neighborhood) is turned into mulch and given away for free to anyone who wants it.

My husband and I learned about the solid waste facility’s contributions to building artificial reefs off the coast of Florida, and about the “Swap Store”, where residents can drop off and pick up unused/extra chemicals and paints (which are hazardous to dispose of in regular trash bins).

There were about 25 people who visited the landfill the day we were there, and the woman who gave the presentation was unbelievably knowledgeable and happy to answer questions (of which there were a LOT).

It made me feel a little better about what the county is doing, and informed me of the areas where it’s falling short. It was good to see my tax dollars in action, and to learn about how I can help to improve things (like buying sustainable products, recycling better, and contacting my local representatives).

CONCLUSION

I hope that this article helps you to understand why anyone would go to their local landfill, and why I’m suggesting that you do it. If you actually read through to this part of the article, you must be interested enough to do it!

And now that you understand why you schedule a visit, here’s a link to the Facebook video about how to set it up.

Save this article to Pinterest for others to find!

The post 4 Reasons Why You Should Visit Your Local Landfill appeared first on Switch From Plastic.

The headlines, research, and documentaries—while super important for raising awareness about our growing plastic problem—can make it difficult for the average person to wrap their head around the issue.

My problem with most of these shows and articles is that they’re heavy on facts, but light on relating it all to my real life.

I think that’s part of the reason that I went sooooo long without realizing that I was producing a ton of plastic waste at home.

Much as I love the Planet Earth series and Sir David Attenborough (“killer whales!”), it’s not like he flat out says, “You might be part of the problem if you’re flossing with single use plastic flossers every night.”

Thankfully, there’s another great source of information that’s accessible to just about everyone and feels a little more personal: podcasts.

RELATED: The Most Surprising Single Use Plastic Items I Found in my Home

Why Podcasts About Plastic Waste Are Different

I’m a bit of a podcast junkie. I’ve written a blog about podcasts for almost three years, and I could talk about podcasts all day, every day.

I actually listen to podcasts at a faster speed (a setting that’s available in most podcast players) so that I can squeeze in more podcast episodes every day.

Podcasts are usually shorter than documentaries, more to the point than the average article, and easily accessible no matter what kind of device you use.

In short, podcasts are the opposite of overwhelming. And many are made in a way that makes the information relatable to every-day life.

Some of the eco-friendly podcasts that I’ve selected will give you examples about single use plastic in your daily life, and ideas about how you can make changes to reduce plastic waste.

Others share inspirational ways in which individuals and organizations are doing their part to clean up the planet.

I don’t expect you to listen to every podcast about plastic that I’ve listed below, but I do think that each shares a different perspective and lesson that you shouldn’t miss.

PRO TIP If you’re new to podcasts, I recommend downloading the PocketCasts app (available for iOS and Android). The app is free, and is easier to use than most podcast apps that come on your phone, tablet, or computer.

Listen to These 7 Podcasts About Plastic ASAP

The Age of Plastic Podcast

Episode 2: Recycling hieroglyphics & polymer coasters (October 17, 2018)

I subscribe to this podcast so that every time a new episode is released, I know about it right away.

Host Andrea Fox is super funny and sarcastic, which you need in your life when you’re constantly trying to avoid the plastic traps all around you.

I’m recommending that you start with Episode 2 because it’s short (15 minutes) and it echoes everything that confused and frustrated me when I started to switch from plastic to more sustainable products.

Once you’ve finished that one, try the January 27, 2019 episode titled Everyday Plastic. How much plastic do we use in a year? (January 27, 2019). It features a fantastic interview with Daniel Webb from the Everyday Plastic Project (in which he cataloged all the plastic waste he produced for an entire YEAR).

Listen to the Age of Plastic podcast

Other People’s Lives Podcast

Episode Title: The Zero Waste Lifestyle (October 17, 2019)

I listened to this episode when I was only a few months into my own journey to using less plastic.

If you’re a total newbie to being eco-friendly and reducing plastic waste, this episode is for you.

The co-hosts of Other People’s Lives interview a woman who has adopted a zero waste lifestyle. Their minds are blown as they learn all the things she’s stopped using and what she does instead.

Your mind will probably be blown too, and I’m not suggesting that you need to aim to live “zero waste”. As the guest explains, it was about a two-year process for her, and she took small steps along the way.

Bonus about this episode: they talk about not shaming people about their waste, making mistakes, and legit tips for changes you can start working into your daily life immediately.

Listen to Other People’s Lives

RELATED: How to Reduce Plastic Waste: A Beginner’s Guide

Plastisphere Podcast

Episode 4: Plastic vs. The Climate?

I really love this podcast, so much so that I’m having trouble gathering all my thoughts into coherent sentences!

Plastisphere is reported by German journalist Anja Krieger, and she presents a very serious, science-y topic in a style that’s still accessible to the average person (me, probably you).

While listening to episodes of this show, I’ll find myself asking a question in my head, and then before I know it, Anja has addressed them.

Although I recommend listening to the entire 7-episode series, you can listen out of order, and Episode 4 is great for anyone who wonders what plastic pollution has to do with climate change, and if one issue is more important than the other.

Listen to the Plastisphere podcast episode

PRO TIP If you’re like me and you listen to podcasts on a higher speed, you’ll want to slow it down for Plastisphere. While I find Anja perfectly understandable, some of her guests can be tricky to understand at higher speeds (especially when they’re throwing out scientific terminology).

Travel Fuels Life Podcast

Episode Title: Traveling Jackie | Responsible and Sustainable Travel (January 12, 2020)

This podcast episode isn’t just about plastic, but about being a responsible traveler—and human—in general.

Travel blogger and podcast host Drew Hannush interviews Jackie Nourse (another travel blogger and podcaster) about eco-friendly travel and tourism.

Whether you spend your weekends camping somewhere local, or you love to hop on a plane and explore far-flung destinations, you’ll want to think ahead about how to do it responsibly, and this episode can help.

Late in the episode, Drew mentions how a 60 Minutes report about plastic killing birds on Midway Island opened his eyes to plastic waste. This is literally the same report that I saw in August 2019 that opened MY eyes!

Listen to the Travel Fuels Life podcast episode

Read more about my story, and see the video clips from 60 Minutes on the About page.

GrowthBusters Podcast

Episode Title: Sustainable New Year’s Resolutions (January 7, 2020)

It doesn’t matter when you’re reading this article; you have my permission to listen to this podcast episode about sustainable New Year’s resolutions at any time of the year.

The GrowthBusters podcast is all about saving the planet through shattering the idea that we need more people, more products, more companies, and more wealth. It’s about less growth, and that includes reducing plastic waste.

This episode is perfect if you’ve already adopted a mindset to reduce waste or make more sustainable choices in your daily life. Hosts Erika and Dave talk about ways to actually follow through with these resolutions.

There’s another episode of GrowthBusters that I found really interesting: in Trashing the Planet is Macho, they discuss a study about men and eco-friendliness. (Spoiler: the study that they discuss wasn’t conducted all that well, but I like that someone is considering how gender plays into being eco-friendly).

Listen to the GrowthBusters podcast

Only Here Podcast

Episode Title: Slowing The Flow (December 4, 2019)

I love this podcast episode about the trash problem at the US-Mexico border near Tijuana. It’s smart and inspirational, but I know that some people might listen to it and think that it’s a sad story about an isolated problem.

What I hope you’ll take away from this episode is that this story is just a deep dive into one particular pollution problem and the interesting way in which a few people are trying to solve it.

There are stories like this from all around the world (some probably closer to home than you realize). But there probably aren’t savvy environmentalists dedicated to fixing all those problems (while also helping the local people effected by them).

I really hope you’ll listen to this podcast about plastic and be inspired to curb your own plastic usage and to spread the word to those around you!

Listen to Only Here

Costing the Earth Podcast

Episode Title: Plasticphobia (October 23, 2018)

Before you think that I’m only focused on one side of the argument about single use plastic, here’s a podcast episode that I think is important to listen to.

In this BBC Radio podcast episode about plastic, the idea of “demonizing” plastic is turned on its head.

I actually agree with a lot of the opinions in this podcast episode. Plastic products have made our lives much better over the last 30+ years, and some research suggests that plastic stops humans from using other important natural resources.

Everyone in this episode seems to agree that the problem with plastic is that we don’t have a good way of disposing of it or recycling it efficiently. For me, this is the reason to cut back on my own plastic use.

I hope you enjoy these podcasts about plastic as much as I do! I love listening to podcasts when I’m doing mundane household tasks, or on a road trip with my husband. Do yourself a favor and squeeze in some time to listen to these eco-friendly shows.

The post 7 Eco-Friendly Podcasts About Plastic You Need to Hear appeared first on Switch From Plastic.

What I figured would be a short mental exercise (because I thought I was pretty eco-friendly in general) blew up into a full-scale written home audit, a major lifestyle shift, and a website about all of the above.

During my home audit—when I went room to room, looking for the single use plastic items lurking in my home—I came across a few surprises.

Like, “How on Earth did I not realize that this was made of cheap, throw-away plastic?” type of surprises.

All three items happened to be in my bathroom (and sort of in the kitchen), but they weren’t the things I thought I’d be finding.

These discoveries caused me to make changes in my buying habits almost immediately. They also got me to review our household recycling habits.

Come to find out, we were attempting to recycle things that our local program didn’t accept, and trashing things that could be recycled at a local drop-off point.

Sigh. Such is the life of the pro-planet newbie.

So, in case you, too, are just walking by every day items, not even realizing that they’re made of—or packaged in—single use plastic, here’s the list of my most surprising discoveries.

ARE THESE SINGLE USE PLASTIC ITEMS LURKING IN YOUR HOME?

FLOSS & FLOSSERS

If there’s one thing I’ve learned while practicing and researching this new less-plastic lifestyle, it’s that people really get excited about switching from plastic brushes to bamboo toothbrushes (or other sustainable options).

But for me, it was floss that really blew my mind.

The majority of big floss manufacturers all package their product in plastic dispensers.

Sure, a plastic floss container lasts most people several months, but due to the design, you can’t refill it when you’re done. And guess what? It probably can’t be recycled, either (regardless of the little triangle recycling symbol on the package).

My local recycling program does not accept anything smaller than the size of a fist, as it will fall through the holes on the sorting machines. For me, there’s no other option than to throw it in the trash, sending it to a landfill.

Even worse than my plastic floss container: my husband hates traditional floss and likes the individual flossers. As in, he was using and throwing away one single-use plastic flosser every night.

What a waste. When I realized how much plastic we have thrown away over the years—just with FLOSS—I actually wanted to cry.

We hopped online to find alternatives to plastic floss. I already knew that our local natural food store did not carry any floss alternatives, so we opted for Amazon.

I switched to this great little stainless steel refillable floss dispenser. It’s super lightweight and compact, which I love for traveling.

The floss that it came with took some getting used to; it’s more fibrous than the floss I had been using. But I did get used to it quickly, and the good news is that there are tons of floss refill options I can buy when it’s used up. I can just pop a new spool of floss into the metal container. No plastic necessary.

My husband switched to individual flossers made from cornstarch.

They’re just as sturdy as plastic and he absolutely loves them. The paper packaging they come in is also eco-friendly, and we purchased the 4-pack of pouches, which cuts down on the overall transport/energy footprint for delivery.

MEDICINE BOTTLES

I challenge you to go to your average grocery store or pharmacy (the big chains, not a specialized natural food store) and find a non-plastic bottle of ibuprofen.

It’s practically impossible. And that’s just one over-the-counter medication. Think about the aisles full of meds at the store. Add to that all the plastic prescription bottles being doled out every day.

Now, my husband and I are pretty healthy people. We don’t take any prescription medications, but we do take vitamins and supplements, as well as the occasional cough & cold medication.

90% of that stuff comes in plastic bottles. Even the glass bottles that I get my vitamins in have a plastic safety cap.

In the United States, it is near impossible to get a medication in a non-plastic bottle or pill pack.

The only real solutions I’ve found are:

1. Try to stay healthy with natural remedies
2. Purchasing meds and supplements in glass bottles whenever possible
3. Buying the largest size plastic bottle available when plastic is the only option

There ARE people who are trying to bring eco-friendly medicine packaging to us. To show your interest and support for this initiative, visit https://plasticfreepills.com/ (it’s kind of like signing a petition).

PLASTIC WRAP & FILM

I actually missed this single-use plastic item on my initial home audit.

But then, one day about six months ago, I reached under the counter and grabbed the last roll of paper towels. As I was unwrapping the plastic around the roll, I realized what I was doing.

My mind flashed back to when I purchased the 6-pack of paper towels, and I realized that each individually-wrapped roll of paper towels had been packaged in one big plastic-wrapped pack.

OMG. So much plastic waste. (And yes, I realize, so much paper waste, too!)

Later that morning, my husband walked into the kitchen and I said “Honey, that’s the last roll of paper towels we’re buying. Enjoy it while you got it.”

Since then, we’ve used kitchen towels to clean up spills. We were already using these towels to wipe dishes, clean countertops, and dry our hands. By using them to wipe up spills, I do have a few more towels to wash and fold each week, but I honestly don’t find this to be an issue at all.

We’ve also stopped buying paper napkins, which also came wrapped in plastic. I haven’t purchased any cloth napkins (again, small kitchen towels do the trick), but I might in the future.

Finally, we’re in the process of testing out a new toilet paper made from recycled paper, that comes wrapped in paper, and ships in a plain ol’ cardboard box.

We like the toilet paper (which is saying something, because we’re a little picky in that department!), but it IS a little more expensive than what we were spending on TP before. That said, the company that sells it (called Who Gives a Crap!) puts their profits to great use.

I recently learned that plastic wrap and film like this can be recycled at a local drop off container (right in front of my super market!). Here are other types of plastic wrap/film that are accepted:

You can download your own version of this at https://www.plasticfilmrecycling.org/recycling-bags-and-wraps/plastic-film-education-individuals/

I think it’s great that there’s a demand for recycled plastic wrap to be sold to make new plastic, but I still think that switching from plastic is the BEST option. Besides reducing plastic production/waste, by no longer buying paper towels and paper napkins, I’m also reducing paper production/waste, and I’m saving money!

HOW TO FIND SINGLE USE PLASTIC IN YOUR HOME

Get tips and ideas for how to reduce plastic at home in the Beginner’s Guide to Reducing Plastic Waste.

The post The Most Surprising Single Use Plastic Items I Found In My Home appeared first on Switch From Plastic.

The actual changes that you can make are pretty simple. It’s as easy as realizing an item is a single use plastic, then find a more sustainable replacement.

Sounds like a no-brainer, but the truth is that the world around us makes it a little more complicated. Practically everything is made of—or comes packaged in—plastic.

I know that learning how to reduce plastic use at home CAN be done; I’ve been doing it for months now. It’s a process that takes some time, but I promise that you’ll feel like a rock star every time you refuse single use plastic or choose plastic-free items.

Here are my three steps for trying to use less plastic, along with a list of simple swaps you can make along the way.

STEP 1: FIND OUT WHAT YOUR LOCAL RECYCLING PROGRAM ACCEPTS

Yes, we’re trying to use LESS plastic. Maybe even go plastic-free. So why start with recycling?

I recommend this as the first step because you’re absolutely, 100% going to run into situations where you cannot avoid plastic. Especially because you’re just starting out.

So, get responsible about the plastic you ARE using.

You might be surprised to find out that a lot of things you’ve been putting in your recycle bin (and thought were being recycled) aren’t accepted by your local recycling program.

Hop online and do a search for your town’s name and “recycling program” (you might try “solid waste” or “public works”, too).

Read the rules carefully, and print out cheat sheets for yourself and other household members if necessary. Don’t assume that just because there’s a recycle symbol and number on an item (plastic or otherwise), that it will be recycled.

STEP 2: DO A PLASTIC HOME AUDIT

Taking stock of the plastic that’s already in your home is going to help you make different, plastic-free choices down the road.

You want to go from room to room, looking at the single-use (aka “disposable”) items on counter tops, in drawers and cabinets, and even in closets and pantries.

Bathrooms, kitchens, supply closets, laundry rooms, and offices are the big culprits for single use plastic.

If you’re having trouble identifying plastic, try this: go into a room and do a pretend run-through of your usual routine.

In the kitchen, pretend to be making coffee and lunches in the morning. What plastic do you encounter? Do the same with your morning or nighttime routines in the bathroom.

I highly recommend writing down all the single use plastic items you find, to help you remember when it comes time to make changes to sustainable products in the future.

A plastic home audit is eye-opening, and even a little overwhelming, but stick with it.

STEP 3: MAKE SWAPS TO LESS-PLASTIC VERSIONS AS NECESSARY

When I talk to people about how to use less plastic, I can often sense their overwhelm and frustration. Actually, I don’t have to sense it; they usually blurt it out!

Like me, these people have really “caught the bug”. They’re ready to go all-in on reducing plastic waste. But this can get expensive and often causes people to give up on the whole switching from plastic journey.

This is why I recommend ONLY making switches from plastic to more sustainable options as you use up the items you have in your house.

Only buy or make the plastic-free version when your current version has run out.

If you have already bought shampoo in bulk because it was on sale, and you have three unopened bottles in the linen closet, use those bottles up! Don’t waste them (and be sure to recycle them properly when used up).

It might be another six months before you can even consider switching to plastic-free shampoo alternatives, but that’s life!

Don’t go crazy trying to swap out all of the single use plastic at once. (Besides going crazy, you’ll go broke!) You can also try focusing on switching to plastic-free versions one room at a time.

Once you’ve identified which plastics you’re going to focus on reducing, you can use the below lists of plastic-free alternatives to guide you to the best solutions.

Every little change will make a difference. If you do just one thing from each of the lists below, you’ll start to see a big difference in how much plastic you’re sending to the curb each week.

HOW TO REDUCE PLASTIC WHEN FOOD SHOPPING

• Carry plenty of reusable shopping bags with you
• Refuse to use plastic produce bags; use mesh bags or no bags at all
• Buy milk & juice in cardboard cartons or Tetra Paks
• Buy “boxed water” instead of bottled water (it’s available in most stores these days)
• Bring your own containers & shop the bulk bins for grains, nuts, seeds, granola, etc.
• Buy spices in the bulk aisle (I clean and reuse small plastic take-out soup containers for this)
• Bring your own containers for deli items & meat from the butcher
• Shop your local farmers market, where you can return plastic containers the next week
• If you must buy plastic (for yogurt, peanut butter), purchase the largest size possible (it’s usually cheaper per ounce or unit, too)
• Ask Customer Service or the store manager if there are non-plastic options you don’t know about (and ask them to carry more!)
• Avoid buying cases of items (bottles, cans, paper towels) wrapped in plastic (recycle it properly if you can’t avoid it)

If you’ve never carried your own containers to the store before, you might feel awkward and like everyone’s staring at you. This is probably how you felt the first time you brought your reusable bags, which is totally normal now. Consider yourself a trendsetter.

RELATED: Here’s How to Never Forget Your Reusable Shopping Bags

HOW TO REDUCE PLASTIC WHEN EATING OUT OR ORDERING FOOD

When dining out or ordering take out/delivery, I live by these two words: ASK and REFUSE.

Refuse plastic (be prepared with your own plastic-free solution) and simply ask if they’ve got other options. I never hurts to ask, so don’t be afraid to do it!

• Ask for a ceramic mug when eating “in” at coffee shops
• Bring your own reusable mug or cup and ask them to fill it
• Refuse plastic (or Styrofoam) carry out containers whenever possible
• Ask if metal utensils are available for dining in
• Carry plastic-free utensils with you
• Carry your own reusable drinking straw
• When ordering, clearly state that you do not need a plastic lid on paper cups
• When using an app to order delivery, use the “Special Instructions” field to request no plastic utensils and paper containers instead of plastic or styrofoam

HOW TO REDUCE PLASTIC USE WHEN CLEANING

• Buy refill liquids in cardboard containers or large-size plastic
• Use powdered detergent in cardboard boxes
• Search online for a local “refillery” refill store & bring your own containers for products
• Buy concentrated refills (even if they come in plastic bottles, you’re using fewer than you would if purchasing diluted versions)
• Use biodegradable detergent pods for washing machine or dishwasher
• Try natural sponges and brushes instead of synthetic plastic versions
• Make your own cleaning solutions/detergents (search online for DIY “recipes”)

Some companies selling refill detergents and soaps have pretty containers and dispensers that they recommend. Unless you really need those items, I recommend re-using the same dispensers and spray bottles you’ve got lying around your home.

HOW TO REDUCE PLASTIC WASTE IN THE KITCHEN

• Switch from zipper bags/plastic food storage bags to silicon bags that can be reused
• Ditch the plastic wrap by covering food with beeswax paper or silicon bowl covers
• Stop tossing single-use coffee pods; use reusable filter pods (buy this pack of 4, so you aren’t constantly washing the same one!)
• When it’s time to buy food storage containers, choose glass or metal
• Completely fill up plastic trash bags before tossing them

See the list above about how to reduce plastic when food shopping; most of what’s in your kitchen comes from your own shopping trips!

HOW TO REDUCE PLASTIC WASTE IN THE BATHROOM

• Use bar soap instead of liquid shower gel (there are tons of natural, moisture-rich body bars out there)
• Switch to plastic-free floss container or eco-friendly flossers
• Find hair products that come in plastic-free packing
  • Shampoo bars & conditioner bars
  • Refillable shampoo in metal bottles
• Refill cleaning products and toiletries at a local refill store (search online to see what’s nearby)
• Avoid toilet paper rolls or packs of tissues wrapped in plastic (if you must buy them, be sure to recycle the plastic properly – it’s not accepted in most curbside programs/bins)
• Switch to non-plastic tampon applicators or a reusable silicone menstrual cup
• Buy a metal razor instead of plastic disposable razors
• Use cotton washcloths or natural sponges instead of plastic loofahs
• Switch to non-plastic cotton swabs (the stick is often plastic)

RELATED: How to Switch From Plastic Without Going Crazy

The post How To Reduce Plastic Waste: A Beginner’s Guide appeared first on Switch From Plastic.

Enough is enough. You’re ready to start intentionally doing your part to reduce plastic waste by making lifestyle changes and voting with your wallet.

And then…you go to the store. You want to try out the recycled paper towels instead of the ones made from “fresh” trees. But the recycled paper towels are wrapped in plastic.

When you head over to the yogurt section, there’s nothing but plastic yogurt cups, and according to your town’s recycling rules, they don’t take any plastic that isn’t a bottle.

In the checkout line, you realize that you forgot your reusable plastic bags, and this store doesn’t offer the option of paper bags. Single use plastic bags it is.

By the time you leave the store, your good intentions have officially given you a headache, and you say to yourself, How the HELL am I supposed to switch from plastic when practically everything comes in plastic?!

Trust me: You are not alone. Not only have I been there, I’m still there! Figuring out how to switch from plastic to more sustainable items can be complicated sometimes, but you don’t have to go crazy.

Here are some things to remember when you start feeling frustrated.

RELATED: How to Never Forget Your Reusable Shopping Bags

IT’S A PROCESS

Food and product manufacturers have created a system of convenience that we’ve become accustomed to having.

As consumers, we’ve created our habits around the items that are available to us, and changing habits is a process. It takes time, and it’s often achieved by taking baby steps.

I didn’t stop using single use plastic items overnight, and neither will you.

Don’t go around throwing out all your half-empty shampoo bottles because they’re plastic. Finish them, recycle the bottles, and then go buy plastic-free shampoo bars. If that whole process takes 6 weeks, that’s okay!

Each battle to switch from plastic is part of a bigger war. And wars take time. Just keep on your journey and keep making progress.

EVERYONE’S EXPERIENCE IS DIFFERENT

Although the problem of single use plastic is pervasive throughout the world, not everyone has the same experience trying to break the cycle.

Here in the United States, some states—or even individual cities and towns—have bans on plastic shopping bags. In other states, plastic bags are the norm.

Recycling is completely different, too. Some cities and towns accept many different types of plastic, while others have more restrictions due to limitations on budget and technology.

Another big difference: the stores you buy from. I shop at two different grocery stores; a large standard chain store, and a smaller, locally-owned natural food store.

The stores are literally just a few miles away from one another, yet the natural grocery store has 10x the amount of plastic-free and recycled products than the large chain.

You might not have a more natural food store near you, or it might be out of your budget. If you can’t switch to ketchup that comes in a glass bottle, that’s okay!

Do what you can with what you’ve got. Small changes are better than no changes.

RELATED: 5 Single Use Plastics to Avoid When Shopping

IT’S OKAY TO HAVE NECESSARY EVILS

My friend Brook is really putting her all into switching from plastic. She sent me a text the other day when she was making corn tortillas.

“They come in plastic bags,” she said. “I don’t want to make them. What do I do?”

I let her know that I deal with the same issue (literally, with corn tortillas), and that sometimes it’s okay to have what I call “necessary evils”.

Another necessary evil of mine? Hair dye. I’ve got a little patch of gray roots right at my forehead, and I’m too vain to let it grow out. (Sorry not sorry).

I dye my hair at home, using a natural, less-toxic dye, which is important to me. I also save a ton of money by not getting my hair dyed at a salon. But the dye comes in plastic bottles, a fact that is always hard to swallow.

The key to allowing yourself to have necessary evils is identifying them and using them as motivation to make a different change instead.

Sure, Brooke can stop buying corn tortillas, but if her kids don’t fight her on them at dinnertime, I don’t think she should.

What she should do instead is take this necessary evil, accept it, and then balance the scales by making swaps to non-plastic items elsewhere in her home.

If her kids raise hell when they can’t have corn tortillas, but they don’t really care if she starts buying plastic-free floss or shampoo bars, then switching from plastic toiletries is the answer.

REMINDER Just because you purchase a product packaged in plastic doesn’t mean you endorse all single use plastics. It’s not an all-or-nothing game.

YOU’RE ALREADY PART OF THE SOLUTION

You do not have to live a zero waste lifestyle to consider yourself part of the movement to use less plastic. Any swap, big or small, makes a difference.

Just by thinking about switching from plastic, and considering the changes you can make, you’re already part of the solution.

Remember how I said that switching to plastic-free products was a process, made through changing habits? Well, the first part of changing habits is changing mindset. And changing your mindset about how you consume plastic is a HUGE step in the process.

Being part of the solution doesn’t mean you have to do all the things.

If you’re having a difficult time actually finding and buying plastic free alternatives, you can start reusing more items at home, repairing items you have (instead of throwing them away), or spreading the word.

Talking about the plastic problem with family, friends, and co-workers can help them change their mindsets, and hopefully their plastic habits. It’s a ripple effect that can lead to real progress in saving the planet.

The post How to Switch From Plastic Without Going Crazy appeared first on Switch From Plastic.

When most of us think about single use plastic, we’re thinking about plastic shopping bags, disposable plastic straws, and styrofoam food containers.

It probably never crossed your mind that the plastic gift card you gave to someone last Christmas, or for their recent birthday, might be considered single use plastic.

But think for a second about all the plastic gift cards you’ve used once, then tossed in the trash. If that’s not single use, I don’t know what is.

In this article, I’ll cover everything you need to know about plastic gift cards, and alternatives you can use to buying this single use plastic.

RANDOM FACT According to Smithsonian Magazine, the plastic gift card was invented in 1994 by Blockbuster (the American chain of home movie rental stores) as a way to combat counterfeiting of their paper gift certificates. Plastic gift cards were then made mainstream by Starbucks in the early 2000s.

PLASTIC GIFT CARDS ARE MADE FROM PVC

Most plastic gift cards are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). According to Greenpeace, PVC is the most environmentally damaging plastic there is.

Not only is PVC not biodegradable, but it’s not degradable, meaning it barely breaks down at all.

But there’s another reason PVC is so toxic to the environment (and um, us humans): it’s made using chlorine, and the production of chlorine releases tons of toxins in to the air.

So long story short: the creation of PVC gift cards has toxic results, as does the inability for this plastic to break down and ever actually be gone from the planet.

CAN YOU RECYCLE PLASTIC GIFT CARDS?

Technically, yes. But it ain’t easy.

PVC can be melted down and recycled into new gift cards, or other types of plastic. That’s the good news.

The bad news is that most local recycling centers don’t accept PVC gift cards. This is because they are so small and thin that they fall through the machinery.

That means that, even if you put the gift card in your recycling bin, that card ends up being a single use plastic and probably ends up in a landfill.

Frustrating, right? (Welcome to the truth about recycling.)

You should absolutely check with your local city or town’s recycling center (the best way to do this quickly is by Googling your city name and state, and the word “recycling”).

If you live in a big city, your recycling program may accept PVC cards. Smaller cities and municipalities (like the one I live in) almost never accept the cards.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WITH PLASTIC GIFT CARDS YOU HAVE AT HOME?

Now that you know that plastic gift cards kinda suck, you’re probably looking around your desk or in your wallet and saying, “Well NOW what do I do?”

Been there, done that. I, personally, have several plastic gift cards sitting around my house, because I didn’t know better until recently.

For a while, there were a couple of companies that would let you mail a used gift card to them for recycling.

But then retailers started creating cards with technology (like microchips) that made it too difficult to recycle the cards. Now the option to recycle gift cards is really only available to large companies that can pay for the service.

Many website will tell regular consumers like you and me to ask a store if they recycle cards. That’s a good first step if you’re spending the card in-store (as opposed to online).

But be careful. Don’t just take the sales representative’s word for it. When you ask, “Do you recycle gift cards here?”, she might hear, “Can you throw this away for me?”

Say something like, “I don’t want this used gift card to go in the trash; does your store have a gift card recycling program?”

If the store doesn’t recycle the gift card, put it back in your pocket. Instead of letting them trash it, consider how you can reuse the card. (This also goes for gift cards you’ve used at home, to order online).

Find out if the gift card can be reloaded with funds (many can), and then find out which friend or family member you could gift the card to. Don’t know anyone who likes that store? Ask a co-worker or post about it on Facebook to see if someone can give it a second life.

TIPS FOR RETAILERS If you own or work for a retailer that sells plastic gift cards, consider providing gift card recycling services to your customers! Check out the TerraCycle program, which has affordable recycling options for all store sizes.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO STOP THE MADNESS

It can be depressing to learn information like this. If you think back to all the gift cards you’ve given and received, you’ll start to feel seriously guilty.

Just remember two things:

1) Your gift card consumption is a result of a pretty broken system. It’s not your fault for falling into the trap. Live and learn.

2) There’s plenty you can do to stop perpetuating the cycle of single use plastic cards.

DON’T ASK FOR GIFT CARDS

Until and unless you’ve explained to your loved ones that most plastic gift cards are not recycled, don’t ask for them!

If you do want a gift card to a particular store, clearly state that you would like a digital gift card/credit. But be careful: if your aunt isn’t tech savvy, she may skip the digital option and go straight for plastic.

PURCHASE DIGITAL

As just mentioned, you can purchase and give a digital gift card. Digital cards can be delivered to a gift recipient via email, or you can print out the gift card details and barcode.

PRO TIP Never assume that the person you’re gifting a card to understands that it can’t be recycled. Always assume that they will fall into the trap of throwing out their gift card. They don’t know what they don’t know, so tell them what you’ve learned about reusing gift cards.

BUY GIFT CARDS FROM COMPANIES THAT OFFER SUSTAINABLE OPTIONS

If you feel like you must gift a physical gift card, opt for cards from retailers that offer biodegradable gift cards.

There are some large retailers—like the outdoor brand Orvis—that offer gift cards made from paper and other biodegradable mixed materials. A quick email or live chat with customer service will let you know if a store sells sustainable cards.

GIVE CASH

The rise in popularity of gift cards comes from the idea that a gift card shows that you put thought into the gift.

Giving someone a gift card to a specific store or restaurant says that you know where they like to shop or eat. This gives people the idea that gifting cash is tacky and thoughtless.

But seriously, think back to the last time you opened a card and it had a few bills in it—it didn’t suck, did it?

If you feel uncomfortable giving cash, consider writing the following note to the person receiving it:

“Dear Friend, in an attempt to stop using single use plastic gift cards, I’m giving you this cash instead. I hope you’ll use it to enjoy some shopping at your favorite store, or a meal at that restaurant you’re always talking about.”

PRO TIP Saving the planet isn’t always about the proper disposal/end use of a product. Manufacturers create single use plastic products because consumers buy them. If you decrease demand for single use plastics by purchasing alternative items (or giving cash), retailers will eventually stop creating them.

SPREAD THE WORD

Knowledge is power, and activates change, so share this article with your friends, family, and coworkers. (Sometimes mentioning it is not enough; send them the actual article, or print it out and give it to them).

Talk about this issue around the lunch table at work, or when someone asks you what you want for your birthday. Don’t shame or guilt anyone, just explain what you’ve learned about plastic gift cards and that you’re doing your part to use fewer of them.

The post How Plastic Gift Cards Are Ruining The Planet appeared first on Switch From Plastic.

Plastic shopping bags aren’t the only single use plastics to avoid when you’re out shopping. The retail industry relies on tons of plastic products, and it passes onto consumers.

As shoppers, we’re so used to these plastics that we often don’t even consider them to be a problem.

I didn’t always recognize the five items in this list as being an issue. They aren’t as obvious—or talked about—as other single use plastics we encounter every day. But once I started being more intentional about refusing plastic, I couldn’t stop noticing how often these items were being handed over to me.

Here are five single use plastics to avoid—and refuse—while you’re out shopping.

PLASTIC PRODUCE BAGS

Most of us have grown up having giant rolls of these little baggies all over the produce and meat departments at the grocery store.

We’re so used to bundling up our onions, carrots, and apples, that we don’t realize that these bags are also single use plastic. Probably more “single use” than most other plastic bags.

There’s something especially “non-reusable” about plastic produce bags. First, they’re flimsy as hell. And then there’s the fact that you put “raw”, unwashed food in them. Throwing the bag away as soon as you get home seems like the best thing to do. (For the record, you CAN recycle these bags at a local drop off center, but DON’T put them in your curbside recycling bin!)

If you’re a healthy eater, who purchases lots of fruits and veggies for your family, you could be using 5 or more plastic produce bags in one shopping trip!

What to Use Instead

Mesh produce bags

I’ve got a set of 3 mesh produce bags that I love. They’re super lightweight and I store them inside my reusable shopping bags.

Mesh bags are best used for small produce, like baby potatoes, or if you’re buying a lot something (8 apples that will roll around in your shopping cart if not bundled up in some sort of bag).

Mesh produce bags are so lightweight that they add less than a penny to my purchase when I use them. Some grocery stores will also give you a credit for using them, just like with other reusable shopping bags.

Cardboard boxes or food storage containers

If you’re buying quite a bit of produce at every shopping trip, consider bringing along a cardboard box that fits in your shopping cart/buggie.

The box is just for holding your produce while you shop. Once you get to the checkout lane, you can do one of two things: plop the entire box on the belt and have the cashier pick through the items, or sort the items onto the belt yourself.

If you sort the items out onto the belt, be sure to give the cashier your empty box; they can put all your items back in, and you can easily transport everything to the car.

PRO TIP Yes, the conveyor belt at the grocery store is filthy, but your produce has already been touched by a lot of dirty hands before reaching you. A plastic produce bag doesn’t do anything to keep your food clean or safe, but washing it at home does!

No containers at all

Although we’re a plant-based household, there’s only two of us, so my produce purchases are generally not huge. Even if I have my mesh produce bags with me, I often just grab and eggplant and put it in my shopping cart.

The first few times I did this, I felt like such a rebel. I also wondered if people would think I was crazy, but then I remembered that what they thought was less important than saving the planet.

RELATED: Here’s How to Never Forget Your Reusable Shopping Bags

PLASTIC HANGERS

Have you ever stopped to look at the number of plastic hangers being used in a typical clothing store?

It used to be that the stores were super protective over these hangers. If you asked to keep one (because it had little rubber pads on the edges, to keep your dress from sliding off it), they gave you side eye and had to ask the manager.

Something changed in the last few years, though. Now, stores are so concerned with the speed of getting people through the checkout lane (read: getting your money) that they’re happily giving away every hanger you bring up to the register. They don’t even take the items off the hangers, they just shove it all into a plastic shopping bag.

That means that for every shirt you bring home on a store hanger, the store needs another hanger to replace it. Which means the stores are buying more plastic hangers than ever, when they used to reuse them over and over again.

Chances are, you have plenty of hangers at home and don’t need another one. The hanger is probably not recyclable, either, so taking it home is just wasteful.

What to do instead

Refuse the plastic hanger

Do not allow the cashier or bagger to put your new clothing items into a bag still on the hanger.

Better yet: take the clothing off the hangers before the cashier can get their hands on them. If you’re the second person in line, use the wait time to remove the clothes from the hangers. Then, lay them neatly in front of the cashier and say, “I don’t need these hangers, the store can keep them.”

PLASTIC GARMENT BAGS

Once upon a time, only the very posh took their clothes home in a garment bag. And it was probably a nice fabric bag.

Nowadays, plastic garment bags are handed out like candy by all sorts of clothing stores, even those selling cheap fast fashion. I’m not sure if they’re trying to create the illusion of high quality through this “service” or what. It strikes me as strange, but even worse, it’s just one more single-use plastic that we’re getting used to.

I don’t know about you, but as a responsible adult, I’m fully capable of getting my new coat to my car without spilling a jar of spaghetti sauce on it, or having a stray dog jump all over it. I honestly don’t need a flimsy plastic cover for it.

Also: a garment bag automatically means that your item is on a hanger (see above).

What to do instead

Refuse the garment bag

The second you see the sales person reaching reaching to cover up your new purchase with a flimsly covering of plastic, say, “Oh, thank you, but I don’t need the garment bag or the plastic hanger, I’ll just put it in my reusable shopping bag.”

PRO TIP Designate one or two reusable shopping bags for clothing or non-food items. Bags used for groceries can get a little grimy, and no one wants to put their brand new outfit into that. By having a bag that is dedicated only to clothing or books, you’ll be more inclined to refuse single use plastic bags at checkout.

BUBBLE WRAP

Although it’s difficult to avoid plastic bubble wrap when making purchases online, if you’re buying something breakable in a store, try to skip it!

Bubble wrap might be fun for a few moments after you get home (who doesn’t love to pop it?), but most people just toss it in the trash.

What to do instead

Refuse bubble wrap

You might think that you’re at the mercy of the store, and whatever packing supplies they have. The person checking you out probably thinks so, too (it’s not uncommon for sales personnel to wrap breakable items in a wad single use plastic bags simply because it’s the only thing they have handy at the register).

Truth: they probably have some plastic-free packing supplies in the back. It doesn’t hurt to ask if they have some packing paper or a box.

Don’t forget to consider anything you might be carrying: a sweater or a fabric reusable shopping bag would work just as well as bubble wrap.

Thinking out of the box is a big part of the plastic-free lifestyle.

GIFT CARDS

Did I just blow your mind? Had you never considered the fact that all those gift cards that are bought, given away, and then tossed out are actually plastic?

It’s true, and I’ve written an entire article about it.

The short version: although gift cards can be recycled, it’s not easily done at all recycling facilities. Plus, when you gift a card to someone, there’s no telling how they will dispose of it after use.

And most uses of gift cards are single use, because these days, you upload the credit to a website or app, and you don’t need to carry the card around with you.

What to do instead

Purchase digital gift cards

Skip purchasing plastic gift cards and opt for virtual/digital gifting instead. You can either email the gift to someone or print out the credit and put it in a greeting card.

PRO TIP Buying a greeting card? Avoid the cards with the little plastic wrappers around them. These wrappers are meant to protect the card during shipping/display in store, but they are totally single use plastic, meant to throw away once the card is purchased.

SHOP WITH CONFIDENCE

It’s true: reducing plastic waste requires you to stay on high alert. But now that you know which single use plastics to avoid while shopping, you can shop with confidence.

The post 5 Single Use Plastics to Avoid When Shopping appeared first on Switch From Plastic.

One of the most well-known and talked about ways to avoid single use plastic is by refusing plastic shopping bags.

The problem: it’s so easy to forget those little guys.

Even in states where plastic bags are banned—or the stores charge a per-bag fee to customers—if you’re not in the habit of carrying a reusable bag, you wind up silently cursing yourself in the checkout line.

Whether you spontaneously stop into a store, or you’re on a well-planned shopping trip, remembering to have your reusable bags with you can feel like an inconvenience. 

My husband and I used to forget our bags all the time. We have six or seven really good reusable shopping bags, in different materials and sizes. And although using reusable bags is important to both of us, it took a LOT of intentional habit building to get us to the point of remembering them on a regular basis.

The thing that was probably the most helpful was spending six weeks in Europe last year. In Spain and Germany (where we spent the majority of our time), reusable shopping bags are the norm. Although you can pay to get plastic bags at the big supermarkets, it’s just not common to do so.

During those six weeks, I NEVER left our Airbnb without a reusable shopping bag. We walked or rode the metro everywhere, so we had to carry shopping bags with us. Even when we’d go to the gym, I’d have my water bottle (reusable, of course), headphones, workout towel, and a shopping bag (just in case).

When we got back to the States, my European habit easily transferred over, even though I’m mostly traveling by car here. When I popped into TJMaxx for a shower curtain a few weeks ago, I got to the checkout and said, “I have my own bag, thank you!”

And that’s really what it’s all about: creating a habit. Just like waking up with the alarm or taking your multivitamin every day, once you create the habit, having a reusable shopping bag on you all the time is just something you do.

Tips & Tricks To Always Remember Your Shopping Bags

Invest in a super lightweight, compact bag

Let me be clear, here: By invest, I mean spend a few bucks (less than $10), and by compact, I mean that the bag should be completely scrunch-up-able.

I think that all of the people who design reusable bag think they are making a ones that are compact, but not all bags are created equal.

The best options that I’ve found are bags that can’t stand up on their own/do not have a flat bottom. Molded flat bottoms add weight and make it difficult to really get the bag down to a small size. 

Here are two of my favorites:

I got the orange nylon bag (on the right in this photo) several years ago at a convention. It was free, and by the next day I was singing its praises and wished I had asked for another!

Not only does this bag have Velcro tabs that let me scrunch it into a little ball (which easily fits in my purse, backpack, or pocket), it also holds a TON of stuff!

Seriously, this bag is sturdy, y’all. It’s made from nylon, which I (now) know is a plastic-based material that is NOT biodegradable. So it’s not the best alternative to plastic bags, but I’ve used my nylon bag HUNDREDS of times, thus avoiding plastic (and paper) bags.

In addition to the nylon bag, I also have a great little cotton bag (also pictured above). Cotton is a sustainable fabric, and is also very strong. This tiny bag is a boss at holding a lot of heavy items.

Both of these bags are so lightweight, I don’t even notice that I’m carrying them with me. They both roll up smaller than a tennis ball. And whenever I’m anywhere needing a bag, I’ve got them handy.

PRO TIP Fabrics like nylon and cotton are easily washable, so keep your bags clean! Nobody wants to carry around a dirty bag, or put food items into one. Toss your bags in the wash every couple of weeks.

Identify a designated spot for your bags

This is part of the habit building I was talking about earlier. Having a designated storage spot for your reusable bags is one of the keys to never forgetting them.

This may sound super obvious, but you need to store your bags where you’ll remember them right before you go into the store.

Storing them in the mudroom, by the front door, or in the trunk of the car is not helpful. Do you always check the trunk of your car before running into the store? I doubt it.

If you always carry your purse into the store with you, then your designated spot for your bags should be in your purse. If you carry a backpack most days, that’s your spot. If you always drive to the store, pick a visible, easy to access spot in the car.

My favorite spot to store collapsible shopping bags in the car is in the empty little space on the inside of the door. 

I don’t know what this space is actually made for. There’s one on both the driver’s and passenger’s side of the car, which makes it the perfect home for reusable shopping bags. Whether it’s me or my husband making an errand run, there’s a bag handy.

Put reusable bags back in their designated spot IMMEDIATELY

More habit building, here.

Look, I know what it’s like to get home, empty the groceries, and then need to start cooking a meal (or maybe sit down to eat the grocery store sandwich you picked up). You just want to be done with your tasks.

But listen: you’re going to have to put the reusable shopping bags away EVENTUALLY. So why not put them back where you’ll find them/use them right away?

By remembering to put your reusable shopping bags back in their designated spot as soon as you’re finished with them, you’re ensuring that you won’t forget them in the future. Think of it like replacing an empty toilet paper roll; it’s just what you do!

What To Do When You DO Forget Your Bags

Okay, so let’s say you actually do end up forgetting your bags at home. Nobody’s perfect. Here are my go-to tips for when you’re without a bag:

Use what God gave you. Seriously, there are so many times when I don’t even need a bag! Even if I have one in my purse, if I’m only buying one or two things—that I literally just carried to the register without a basket or a cart—why on Earth do I need a bag of any kind?

My motto: If I can carry it to checkout, I can carry it to my car. 

PRO TIP Refusing single use plastic bags also includes those horrible plastic produce baggies (you wanna talk about pointless single use plastic?) Either use mesh bags or just put the produce in your cart. The cashier can still weigh everything just fine.

Ask for a paper bag. If you’re in a pinch, a paper bag is better than a plastic bag. It’s true that many stores don’t carry paper bags anymore, but some do! It can’t hurt to ask.

Ask for a box. If there’s one thing that stores DO have, it’s boxes. Soooo many cardboard boxes, many of which are just waiting to be broken down and sent to recycling.

If you’re freaked out at the thought of holding up the line of people behind you, ask if you can step aside while someone gets you a box. Refusing single use plastic requires standing your ground, even if the people behind you are heavily sighing and tapping their toes!

The post Here’s How to Never Forget Your Reusable Shopping Bags appeared first on Switch From Plastic.