plastic-free July : review
We made it through plastic-free July! Below is a quick review of which swaps I made, which areas were really hard to reduce my single-use plastic, and which swaps are here to stay.
Fashion
This was probably the easiest category for me this month! I didn’t make any new fashion purchases this month, but the majority of my wardrobe is either secondhand, vintage, or made by me. I’ve always enjoyed thrift shopping, but I’ve cut back significantly during the pandemic. A ton of my rings have even been lucky finds at thrift stores! Some of my favorite secondhand stores below:
Buffalo Exchange (yellow tags indicate new items, so I avoid those)
Goodwill
Etsy (admittedly do more perusing here than actual purchasing!)
Home
This category was also pretty easy for me. I’ve made some swaps like using cloth napkins and using old towels for dusting years ago. I’m interested in making some additional swaps like dishwasher tabs not packaged in plastic and a really powerful eco-friendly tub cleaner (I’ve been taking a lot of baths lately). Some swaps I’ve made that I’m excited about:
Laundry detergent -> detergent strips*
Regular toilet paper -> recycled toilet paper (I have the brand ‘Who Gives a Crap’)
Swiffer duster refills -> old cloths/t-shirts
Personal Hygiene
This category is particularly tough for me. Although I didn’t buy many personal hygiene products this month, I also didn’t discover any super promising swaps for some of my plastic-packaged goods. My skincare and hair care items are super tough for me to find effective swaps, but I’m going to keep looking. Some swaps I have managed to make below:
Bottled mouthwash -> mouthwash tablets in a glass bottle*
Plastic razor -> stainless steel straight razor
Cotton squares -> reusable cloth cotton rounds
Food
This category and personal hygiene are definitely tied for which areas were the toughest to reduce my single-use plastic. Although I was able to significantly lessen my plastic when it came to grocery shopping, I ordered take out twice this month that had plastic. During a time where it’s not very safe to eat in restaurants, but we want to support our local businesses I think as consumers our hands are tied here. It’s also very difficult to find any fresh or frozen meat, seafood, or meat substitute that’s not packaged in plastic. Some swaps I made below:
Overpackaged salad kits -> fresh lettuces and salad toppings that came in foil envelopes*
Bottles of sparkling water -> canned sparkling water (I really love the Aha! brand)*
Single-use produce bags -> no bag or reused small mesh bags from home
So, how did you do? What were the easiest swaps for you and did you discover any new changes this month?
*indicates a new swap made this month
in sustainability,