Plastic Alternatives for a Zero-Waste Home

Plastic Alternatives for a Zero-Waste Home

Many things and products for the home that leave their ecological mark. Plastic mops, brushes, sponges, detergents – all this pollutes the environment.

1. The first useful eco-habit of many people is sorting garbage. For a convenient separate collection of plastic, paper, and glass, you can buy a special cardboard container with three compartments. It is easy to use and inexpensive. You can place it on the balcony or kitchen, in a place for garbage.

2. Part of the trash is occupied by organic waste: leftovers, peels of vegetables, fruits, leaves, and sometimes flowers. In landfills, organic matter rots and releases methane, a gas that is explosive and accelerates climate change. It is because of it that fires occur in landfills in hot weather.

Organic waste can be safely disposing of with a composter. This is convenient to do even in the apartment.

3. The next way to make your home more environmentally friendly is using brushes for washing dishes. For example, instead of the usual plastic sponges, you can buy brushes and sponges made of natural materials.

These can be coconut fiber or agave fiber kitchen brushes. Unlike plastic parts of ordinary brushes, they are biodegradable.

Natural brushes also wash away dirt and can last up to 6 months. In addition, after wear you do not need to buy a new brush, just change the nozzle itself.

4. An alternative to synthetic washcloths can be a loofah or a jute washcloth. Its use for cleaning, washing dishes, and bath procedures.

5. Natural soap can be used to replace cleaning detergents. It is quite enough for cleaning surfaces, dishes, and even washing.

Household chemicals containing phosphates get into the water and spoil the microflora of water bodies. Natural soap is an environmentally friendly alternative. In addition, it can also have a pleasant aroma.

Modern manufacturers of eco-friendly products use natural aroma oils in the production of natural soap.

6. Wax napkins are an ecological alternative to food film. They are made from natural ingredients, so you can safely store food in them.

These napkins can be used to wrap vegetables, fruits, and bread, store greens, cover cooked food and even freeze food.

7. If you drink tea from sachets, it is better to buy a reusable bag. The fact is that the tea bags contain polypropylene – a plastic sealant that prevents the paper from soaking in hot water. Due to the mixture of materials in the sachets, it is difficult to recycle, and therefore they increase the amount of plastic waste that pollutes the environment.

There are also zero waste solutions for the bathroom:

8. For example, brushes made of natural materials are an alternative to toilet brushes, which are often made entirely of plastic. They are made according to the same scheme as washing brushes: natural bristles and a wood base.

9. If you are thinking of upgrading your soap dish, you can buy a ceramic one instead of a plastic one. It will last a long time and will be an excellent eco-replace for plastic.

10. If you don’t already have a toothbrush cup, you can buy a wooden stand instead of a plastic one.

You can also replace the plastic cup with a glass or ceramic one.

11. Packages in everyday life are always needing, and now there are many alternatives to polyethylene. For example, you can buy backpacks or reusable bags made of flax or mesh material. With them, you can not only go shopping but also store food at home.

12. In case of a cocktail party at home, you can buy reusable metal tubes or bamboo tubes. This will reduce the amount of plastic waste.

Picture Credit: Pexels

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