Eco volunteers cleaning up the beach. Credit: People vector created by pch.vector (www.freepik.com)
We have an acute, global problem with plastics
Products that are purchased in single-use plastic packaging or containers contribute to a severe, world-wide plastic waste problem. Plastic takes a really long time to break down, up to 450 years for plastic bottles and up to 1,000 years for items like bags.
Despite what we may have been told, plastic is not easily or cheaply recyclable and as a result is rarely recycled. Plastic is not biodegradable in the way that other waste material is. It breaks down into smaller particles that pollute both the land and water, across every inch of our planet, including the most remote corners. Plastic particles have also entered our food and water supply, with unknown long-term consequences.
And it’s not just plastic, Americans create more waste per capita than any other country, and we recycle far less than other countries.
The more I’ve read about this issue, the more I felt I needed to do something about my own use of plastics.
But change is hard
I did some research to see which common household goods I could easily replace with package-free and plastic-free products. I felt that if I could make any changes, I could start making an impact on the amount of plastic and general waste I generate.
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”
I like to think I’m pretty good about recycling and reuse. In the past, I’ve used a lot of Method products, because I can purchase refill packets instead of new spray bottles each time. But even with Method, the spray bottles are plastic and so are the refill packets. I’m far from dogmatic about this. My approach to making any big changes is to smart small and easy, with things that have a high degree of success and build up from there. Even using one or two package-free items can make a difference.
Personal experience and recommendations
The areas where I generated the most plastic waste on a day-to-day basis were:
Groceries. I’ve been using reusable shopping bags for years, but I avoid buying produce that comes in plastic cases or packaging in favor of purchasing loose, unpackaged produce where possible.
Personal hygiene. Pretty much everything I use comes in a plastic container. I thought this would be a good place to see where I could switch to plastic free products.
Cleaning products. Dishwashing soap, detergent, and home cleaning products, I thought I did well by buying Method refills. But I wanted to see if I could stop using plastic containers altogether.
Dog poop bags. I go through a lot of these and wanted to find an environmentally-friendly replacement.
I’ll continue to update this list and my observations and recommendations over time. I also plan on tracking and comparing the overall cost of plastic and package free products vs. name brand products.
Personal hygiene
The single-use plastic products I use the most of are toothpaste, dental floss, and deodorant, followed by hand soap and shampoo.
Toothpaste
Bite Toothpaste — $30 (4 mo supply)
Bite Toothpaste sells “bits” – small pellets that you chew on and then brush with a wet toothbrush. They work pretty well, although the flavor isn’t as strong as regular toothpaste.
I tried two flavors, Fresh Mint and Activated Charcoal with Fresh Mint, and preferred the Activated Charcoal with Fresh Mint mostly because it had a stronger flavor and it left my mouth feeling fresher after brushing.
This is a change that I’ve found easy to stick to, and would recommend Bite to anyone looking to replace their existing toothpaste.
Dental Floss
Humankind Floss — $15
Humankind sells glass and silicone floss containers and refills packaged in paper. I bought this product instead of the glass and metal floss containers sold by other brands because I preferred the shape and size of the container. However, silicone is generally considered a plastic product (or somewhere between rubber and plastic) and has similar issues with recycling and biodegrading.
Compared to the name brand dental floss you would buy, this looks and feels exactly the same. The only noticeable difference is that it doesn’t feed through the container as smoothly as it does in a plastic case.
If you want a completely plastic-free container, you can try this one from Bite.
Deodorant
With deodorant, we’re moving from “only you will notice the difference” to “other people may notice the difference” territory. I’ve tried a couple of brands:
Zero Waste Deodorant — $8
Zero Waste Deodorant (Earl Grey) sold by The Source. This stuff smells so good, good enough to eat. It’s the best smelling deodorant I’ve ever used and everyone in my household likes it.
The only downside is that there’s no container for it – it’s a small puck that comes wrapped in paper. This makes it a bit difficult to use and to store. If it came in a paper tube like some of the other brands, this would be the clear winner for me.
Native Plastic Free Deodorant — $13
Native sells non-toxic products and has recently added non-plastic packaging. I bought their Plastic Free Deodorant in Citrus & Herbal Musk. Unlike the other deodorant, this comes in a paper tube, which makes it much easier to use and store. The scent is nice, and they have many to choose from.
Make sure you purchase their plastic-free version, as they still sell many products in single-use plastic packaging.
Body and face soap
I use bar soap and not body wash in the shower, so switching to a soap that comes in plastic free packaging should be easy. However, I use a separate face soap that comes in a plastic container with a pump. I wanted to see if I could replace both of these with a single bar soap.
Meow Meow Tweet Body Soap Bar — $10
I recently purchased the Meow Meow Tweet Body Soap Bar sold by Package Free. I bought a couple of scents – Grapefruit Mind and Lavender Lemon – and they both smell great.
This bar creates a good lather and smells better than the name brand soap I usually use, but is otherwise not noticeably different. It looks, smells, and feels like a higher-end, boutique soap, but comes in a paper wrapper.
Meow Meow Tweet Tea Tree Charcoal Facial Bar Soap — $12
I’m still using up my current supply of face soap, but am looking at the Meow Meow Tweet Tea Tree Charcoal Facial Bar Soap sold by Package Free as a replacement.
I have combination oily-dry skin, so it’s taken me ages and a lot of experimentation to find a face soap that doesn’t either dry up my face or leave it looking greasy. The product I currently use is one that I’ve used for a long, long time, so this may be a harder switch to make. I’ll update this section after I’ve tried it.
Hand soap
Mini Organic Terrazzo Gem Soap — $7
I’ve slowly replaced all my Method liquid hand soap and plastic pumps with bar soap. I’m currently using the Mini Organic Terrazzo Gem Soap sold by Package Free.
These soaps look good and smell nice. I’ve found that you only need a tiny amount to get a lather to wash your hands.
The only downside is that they are small and we use them up quickly.
Eyeglass Lens Cleaner
Homemade
I wear glasses and use a lot of lens cleaner. I used to get it from the free refill station at Costco until they stopped providing it. Then I switched to buying the biggest bottles I could find at Target. Since early 2020, my local Target has stopped selling lens cleaner fluid (perhaps because manufacturing shifted to hand sanitizer?) and now they only sell the wipes, which are not safe for coated plastic lenses.
I did some searching online and found a recipe for making your own coated lens-safe cleaner and have been using that and just refilling my old plastic spray bottles with it.
The recipe is listed below.
Household products
I don’t use up cleaning products as quickly, perhaps with the exception of dish washing soap, because they come in larger containers and I use most of them on a weekly basis, not daily basis. I plan on testing and replacing my existing cleaning products as I use them up.
Dish washing soap
Solid Dish Soap — $20
Dish washing soap is the one cleaning product I use daily (multiple times per day, really – 2 kids generate a lot of dirty dishes!). In the past, I used Method soap with refills. I recently started using the Solid Dish Soap sold by Package Free.
This soap is pretty good. It’s easy to create a lather, but it’s not as much as using liquid soap. It does a good job of cleaning, though I haven’t yet tested it on anything super greasy. It a large bar of soap and I anticipate that it will last a while. I hand wash my dishes with a sponge, so your experience may differ if you use a brush.
Dryer sheets
Wool Dryer Balls, 6 Pack — $17
I also use a lot of dryer sheets (2 kids go through a lot of clothes too). Wool dryer balls are a good replacement to single-use sheets. I recently purchased the Wool Dryer Balls, 6 pack sold by Amazon. I haven’t used them yet, as I’m still using up my current supply of sheets, but will update this once I have.
You can also purchase the Natural Wool Dryer Balls from Package Free for $36. I’m not sure what the difference is in quality.
Dog poop bags
Doggy Do Good Premium Pet Waste Bags — $12
I use a lot of dog poop bags and if you need an unpleasant reminder of how much plastic waste we generate, peek into a dog waste container at your local dog park. I started using the Doggy Do Good Premium Waste Bags and feel less guilty about cleaning up after my dog.
My biggest concern in switching to a vegetable-based bag was that the odor or waste would somehow leach through the bag. But these are just as durable as the plastic bags I used to purchase. I highly recommend them.
Resources
I’ve put together a list of websites and products that can replace your existing single-use, plastic items. I haven’t tried all of these products. I’ll continue to add to this list over time.
Plastic free and package free products
These products are plastic free and package free, meaning they are shipped in recycled and/or recyclable paper packaging and the products themselves contain no plastic. Many are refillable or reusable.
Package-Free Shop. Zero waste, plastic free products.
Wild Minimalist. Zero waste, plastic free products.
The Source. A women’s slow fashion site that has a good selection of zero waste, plastic free products.
Bite. Zero waste, plastic free toothpaste, mouthwash, dental floss, and toothbrushes.
Doggy Do Good. Vegetable-based, biodegradable dog poop bags.
Reusable Products
Ordering supplies that come in reusable or recyclable materials is still better than buying supplies in single-use plastic packaging or containers. These products are not plastic-free (many use silicone) but they do not use plastic in their packaging or are reusable.
Humankind. Uses some plastic and silicone in their product containers, but products are reusable with refills.
Native. They sell plastic-free versions of their deodorant and their bar soap comes in plastic-free packaging. All other products come in single-use plastic containers.
Clean Cult. I haven’t tried this company’s products, but it looks like an interested way to reduce single-use plastic waste for household cleaning products.
Crew Bottle Company. Reusable glass bottles and containers, uses silicone. Not sure if they are shipped in non-plastic packaging.
Make-Your-Own Recipes
Making cleaners and other supplies yourself generally means you can save on single-use plastic containers by ordering the raw ingredients in bulk (even if those ingredients come in plastic containers).
Homemade Eyeglass Cleaner
Alcohol-free, safe for coated lenses
¼ cup (4 tablespoons) additive-free baby wash
2 cups distilled water
You want to use a ratio of 1:8 soap to water. Don’t use baby wash that includes any moisturizers like shea butter or cocoa butter, as they will leave a residue on your glasses. I’ve used Burt’s Bees Baby Shampoo & Wash. You can also use Johnson’s Head-to-Toe Gentle Baby Wash.