Let’s face it, our wasteful plastic habit is ridiculous. We’ve fallen in love with using clean, cheap, lightweight plastics and throwing them out after one use. It’s so easy to do if you choose not to think about the implications. But there are major implications, like a less beautiful environment for us, our children, and our doggies. Making plastics is a dirty business, they’re not easy to recycle, not biodegradable, and some materials are not healthy to cook or store food in either. Lets take a look at some ways to reduce plastic use in your home and how we can help design a new kitchen for the post plastic age.

It’s All About That Bulk

Buying everyday items in bulk and with your own reusable container is probably the biggest change each of us can make. Maybe you’ve started buying trail mix or dried fruit from the bulk bin, but have you considered olive oil, spices, rice, detergents, honey, vinegar, or soap? Imagine for a minute that every plastic wrapper or bottle you buy can’t be recycled (it probably isn’t), in fact, imagine that every piece of plastic you use will end up in the ocean (it probably will). Now imagine a trip to the grocery store that doesn’t involve any plastic. It’s easy if you have the right supplies. Here are a few tips and products that will help.

Reusable produce bags will eliminate plastic bags and are easily washed. We love these from Colony Co.

Simple ball jars are great for peanut butter, grains, coffee, and dish soap. We like the Bormioli Fido jars with the blue lids for items that will be displayed, but any sealable jar will do.

Bulk spices are a great reason to get your spices organized. We bought this set of matching spice jars which came with labels and a little funnel for depositing spices.

Lunches and Leftovers.

Jars and bags might be great for bulk food, but what about leftovers? Plastic baggies, cling wrap, and plastic containers are not only wasteful, they may also be leaching toxins into your food. We found lots of great information on the subject at Life without plastic, but the main takeaways are that food is safer stored and heated in non plastic containers. Here are a few of our favorite alternatives:

Instead of plastic wrap try beeswax wrap. It’s reusable and compostable!

We like these Oxo smart seal containers for lunches. The glass base works great in the microwave, the lids are leak proof, and they are even freezer safe.

Plant wise zipper bags are a good sandwich bag alternative. They are reusable, dishwasher safe, and plastic free.

Finally, remember to bring your reusable cutlery and napkins for lunch. Single use disposable utensils and straws might seem little, but they are a huge factor in ocean pollution and street litter.

Don’t Forget the Drinks

Drink bottles and bottle caps are the second most common plastic pollutants (after cigarette butts) according to the UN Environment Program. The solution here is easy. Keep a reusable water bottle or coffee cup with you. We recommend Kleen Kanteen bottles and thermoses. Their child and adult products use interchangeable caps and lids that are also replaceable. Stainless steel is easier to manage than glass and safer for you than plastic.

Another way to reduce waste with your drinks is to invest in a mesh coffee or tea filter. Metal mesh makes it easy to dump grounds and rinse for reuse. At our showroom we purchased a coffee maker that can make a whole pot or a single cup, both with mesh filters. We avoid kurig pods because they include single use plastic that can’t be recycled.

The Compostable Myth

Are you spending more on compostable bags, utensils, or other plastic alternatives? Are you still throwing these items in the landfill? Then save your money. Garbage in the landfill does not break down. Landfills were designed to store trash, keep it dry, and seal it permanently. Your compostable bamboo fork is not being composted unless you compost it yourself. Sure, some businesses or public areas might have ‘compost’ cans, but people often throw trash in them and then everything still ends up in the landfill.

The best way to compost is right in your own back yard. We have a few of these compost bins and found they were much easier to load, turn, and move then clumsy rolling drums (that tend to break). In our kitchen we keep a stainless steel compost bin on the counter and take it out daily, but some of our clients opt for a custom pull-out that can hold and hide a larger bin. For more information on eco friendly renovating, read our post Green Remodeling: 7 eco friendly tips to renovate sustainably.

As you consider reducing plastics in your life think about how to simplify and reduce your belongings in general. We can’t say that these options are easier or cheaper than single use plastics, but we think it’s worth the time and money to commit to a cleaner, healthier life. We only get one earth. We only get one body. Take care of it.