15 simple tips so YOU can ditch plastic and save the oceans
From Sir David Attenborough to the Queen, Brits are on a mission to stop our plastic attack on the environment
THERE'S a war on plastic – and it’s no wonder. The BBC’s Blue Planet II highlighted the destruction of our oceans, and Sir David Attenborough’s pleas meant the Queen banned plastic straws and bottles on all royal estates last month.
Dying coral reefs, brain-damaged fish and washed-up dead whales are just some of the horrifying results of plastic waste contaminating the oceans.
Around 8 million tonnes of the stuff ends up in the sea every year*, and experts are even warning plastic waste is now finding its way into the human food chain.
“It’s estimated within a few decades there could be more plastic than fish in our oceans,” says Louise Edge, senior oceans campaigner for Greenpeace UK.
“It’s critical we reduce our use of throwaway plastic now.”
But while the 5p bag charge means you may have started carrying your reusable around, there’s still so much more you can do to clean up your plastic habit.
IN THE KITCHEN
Rinse, refill, repeat: Plastic bottles are one of the biggest blights on our oceans. But it’s not just water bottles – everything from washing-up liquid to laundry detergent containers are bobbing around.
“Instead of buying washing-up liquid in plastic bottles, order concentrated washing-up liquid from , which you dilute with tap water, allowing you to refill a bottle you already have,” suggests Amanda Keetley, director at Less Plastic.
One sachet, £4.95, will fill three 420ml bottles, making it roughly the same price as the regular stuff, and once empty you return it to be reused.
Meanwhile, Ecover has just launched its 100% recycled washing-up liquid bottle, £1.60 for 450ml. Not only are the bottles fully recyclable, the brand also sell 5L refills so you can make them last longer.
Don't be a sponger: Since we’re talking about washing-up, did you know all those plastic scouring pads we’ve thrown away are sitting in landfill and won’t break down for a few hundred years?
So it’s time to invest in a longer-lasting, ethically-sourced wooden pot scrubbing brush or pan scraper, biodegradable coconut hair scouring pads or cotton loofah instead (available from ).
Milk it: Remember the good old days, when milk was delivered in glass bottles? Well, it might be time to call on the milkman again, given that Recycle Now says us Brits fail to recycle a huge 16 million plastic bottles every day.
Log on to to find a glass-bottle service near you.
Don't be clingy: It turns out that cling film is clingy by name and by nature – and it never breaks down.
The answer? Beeswax wraps.
Made from organic, patterned cotton, beeswax, jojoba oil and tree resin, these sheets are reusable.
They’ll last up to a year and are compostable when you’re done with them. Simply use the heat of your hands to seal whatever you’re wrapping.
Prices start from £10 for three sheets ().
Or swap sandwich bags for a washable Planet Wise Sandwich Zip Bag, £12.95, for school lunches.
Brew better: Who knew a cuppa could be bad? Yep, tea bags can be up to 25% plastic. You could try loose leaves – invest in a metal mesh ball infuser, £6 from Whittard, which you fill with tea and use like a teabag.
Or Teapigs, £1.75, only uses biodegradable cornstarch and paper in its tea bags, plus the packaging is biodegradable, too.
IN THE BATHROOM
Don’t bottle it: Now you’ve dealt with the bottles in your kitchen, it’s time to think about the ones upstairs, such as shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and hand wash.
Luckily, there’s a simple and relatively cheap solution – just switch to products that come naked (in no packaging) or in cardboard boxes.
Lush sells packaging-free solid shampoo and conditioner bars, from £4.95.
Lather up in the same way as liquid shampoos and last three times longer than their bottled counterparts.
Brush smarter: Unless they’re incinerated (which produces loads of harmful chemicals) every used plastic toothbrush is either sitting in landfill or polluting the oceans.
Specialist company Bristle sells biodegradable brushes, from £3.60, and the compostable brush handles are made of naturally antibacterial and mould-resistant Moso bamboo.
Put it on the tab: Toothpaste tubes are near impossible to recycle. Cue tooth powders and tablets for a safer alternative for the planet, as they are bottled in recycled and reusable plastics.
We love Lush Boom! Toothy Tabs, £5.95 for around 80.
Save on sanitary products: The average woman uses over 11,000 disposable sanitary products in her life, resulting in 200,000 tonnes of waste from tampons, pads and panty liners every year.***
But while most tampons disintegrate within six months, the same can’t be said for plastic applicators and pads.
Just one menstrual cup can do the job of 1,625 tampons and pads, so why not try the Intimina Lily Cup, £24.95?
Period knickers are another eco-friendly alternative. Shipped from the US, THINX are a bit pricey upfront at £24 a pair, but each absorbs up to two tampons’ worth of blood, plus they’re washable and reusable, so well worth the initial payout.
Clean up: Say no to lazy-girl make-up removal – most wipes also contain plastic.
Try a cleansing cloth like CloudCloth, £8 for three. Simply apply your usual cleanser and wipe away the grime, pop it in the wash and repeat.
OUT AND ABOUT
Ditch the straws: Instead, try reusable steel or glass straws – we like the stainless-steel versions by Joie, £5.99 for six, which come with a nifty cleaning brush.
Carry your cutlery: Forgo the plastic option and keep a set in your bag, or invest in some bamboo ones. Check out for options.
MOST READ IN FABULOUS
Be supermarket savvy: Swap plastic-packaged rice, pasta and detergent for boxed versions. And take your own containers to the fresh counters when buying meat, fish and cheese. Fresh bread from the bakery is also sans plastic.
Spit it out: Chewing gum is made of plastic polymers, is impossible to recycle and contaminates the environment, so ditch the habit now!
BYOC (bring your own cup): Brits bin 2.5 billion plastic-lined takeaway coffee cups each year.*** Buck the trend with a reusable, dishwasher-safe bamboo cup.
Plus, use it at Pret, Costa and Starbucks and you’ll get a discount on your drinks.
Photography: Jo Smith
Sources: *Science Journal **Women’s Environmental Network ***Friends of The Earth Stockists: Bristle (), CloudCloth (), Ecover (), Intimina (), Joie (), Lush (), Planet Wise (), Teapigs (), THINX (), Whittard ().