"One of the biggest challenges of our society is the need for everything to be readily and easily available in nice neat and efficient packaging all at a low cost. For most of us, using plastic bags at the supermarket, plastic cups and cutlery at parties and getting our take away in plastic containers is the way we’ve been brought up. Fortunately media, especially social media has brought more awareness to the environmental costs of our wasteful habits, and [is] bringing into light the dire condition of our planet. So what can we all do to help the situation? The best thing we can do is to just REDUCE everything we buy, especially single use items made from plastic" extols plastic-free pioneer and Perky By Nature founder Hannah Veen.
Here are a few tips from Hannah on how to make the swap from plastic for many of your household items.
1. Swap cling wrap for bees wax wrap
Bees wax wraps are a great alternative to single use cling wrap, it can be washed, reused and of course is made from a sustainable and biodegradable material. They also come in some pretty funky designs. Check these out from Beeutiful >> www.beeutiful.com.au
2. Produce bags
It’s so shocking how often I see people ripping off a plastic produce bag at the supermarkets just to put one orange inside it. There are some great hemp and fabric alternatives to BYO bags wherever you go. We love these awesome pouches to carry your recycled bags in from Simple Dimple- made from pineapple fibre!
3. Straws suck when they’re made form plastic.
Literally billions of these make it into landfill every year and millions end up in our oceans, and digested by various marine and birdlife. If you need to use straws (ok, admittedly mojitos do taste better when consumed through a straw), why not try a metal straw or bamboo straw? Metal straws, although not biodegradable can be recycled and melted down into other metal objects at the end of their life.
4. Plastic Containers
We all grew up with Tupperware, perhaps your mum even threw her own plastic parties? Although reusable, eventually these containers end up in landfill- where they will sit for the next 400-500 years. There are many great alternatives around. We love the metal food storage boxes from www.ecolunchbox.com they’re durable and easy to clean (no yucky food after taste or smell).
5. Coffee Cups
Finally, one of the most common reusable items out there- the coffee cup. Be wise with your choice, remembering that plastic cups will by around for hundreds of years after you. Glass and ceramic are great options, although easy to break. We’re a bit biased here, but our bamboo fibre reusable cups are a great alternative to plastic, taking around 1-3 years to biodegrade depending on the conditions of the soil. You can find a list of stockist or buy them online at www.perkybynature.com
